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Presidential
Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar joined the
consecutive launching of the Aid and Humanitarian Operations Nationwide (AHON)
Convergence Program in the municipalities of Borgus and General Luna on Friday,
June 11, 2021. |
Secretary
Andanar assures more gov’t assistance for pandemic-affected rural towns
GENERAL LUNA, Surigao del Norte - Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar assured the public that there will be more interventions coming from the national government for families and businesses affected by the pandemic.
“There will be more assistance coming into Siargao
and other areas affected by the pandemic, as we have streamlined the request
for aid needed by local government units for their constituents,” he
said.
Weeks after
President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 137, national government
agencies have started to respond to the mandate of accelerating and harmonizing
operations on the delivery of sustainable assistance to areas and communities
affected by calamities and emergencies, including the pandemic.
The Aid and Humanitarian Operations Nationwide
(AHON) Convergence Program was consecutively launched in the municipalities of
San Benito, St.Monica, Borgus, and General Luna from June 9-10, 2021 to help
families whose livelihood or source of income were affected by the COVID-19
pandemic.
Secretary Andanar
said that the economy in Siargao, a tourism-reliant island, has been one of the
communities that were badly hit by the pandemic, which is why it was chosen as
the pilot area for the convergence policy.
He also noted
that this initiative of the government shows that President Rodrigo Duterte
fulfills his commitments to the Filipino people.
“Action speaks
louder than words. This is one of the mottos of the Administration of President
Duterte. That is why, since he sat in 2016 until now, you can see real change.
We have Build, Build, Build projects here and now we have this AHON Convergence
Program,” he said.
The Department of
Social Welfare and Development, vice chair of the AHON Committee, distributed
aid through their Livelihood Assistance Grant and Assistance to Individuals in
Crisis Situation (AICS) to 526 beneficiaries from the four municipalities.
Through the said assistance, beneficiaries can receive up to P15,000
assistance.
LAG and AICS are the recovery and rehabilitation programs
of the government to serve families during the community quarantine.
Vilma Tejada, a
local entrepreneur of General Luna, was one of the recipients of the assistance
during the launching in General Luna on June 11, 2021. Her store was one of the
businesses that were interrupted by the pandemic given that there are limited
tourists coming to the island during this pandemic.
“As a beneficiary
of the assistance, I am grateful for this because I did not expect it to come.
This really is a blessing for me and my family,” she said.
Tejada received a
grant amounting to P15,000 which she will be using to augment his business
operations.
The same
assistance grant was also distributed to 148 beneficiaries in Sta. Monica.
Jocelyn Escobal,
a sari-sari store owner in Sta. Monica, also received P15,000 which she said
will be enough for her family's business. She was emotional when she extended
her gratitude to President Duterte and Senator Bong Go.
“As a single parent, this is really a big help. On behalf of the rest of the beneficiaries here in Sta. Monica, I can pledge that we will work hard and use this assistance given by the government to us for the welfare of our families. Thank you very much to everyone, especially to the President,” she said. (PCOO)
