6

(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Saturday, 19 September 2026) "Southwest Monsoon affecting Luzon and Visayas. Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides due to severe thunderstorms. Light to moderate winds from Northeast to Northwest with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 1.5 meters).


Thursday, 17 September 2026

‘Handog ng Pangulo’ caravan delivers continued aid to 1,809 Tandag beneficiaries

By Nida Grace P. Barcena

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur (PIA) — A total of 1,809 beneficiaries in Tandag City are set to receive their second tranche of financial assistance under the Urban Program for Livelihood and Immediate Financial Transfer (UPLIFT) on Monday, September 14, as part of Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat, a nationwide initiative that brought government assistance closer to families and individuals in need.

Loraine Calixtro, social worker officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Surigao del Sur Satellite Office, said the payout is part of the simultaneous implementation of Handog ng Pangulo, underscoring the government’s efforts to provide timely and accessible assistance to vulnerable sectors and help ease their financial burden.

For Fermina Saldaña, a senior citizen and a widow from Tandag City, the assistance means additional support for her daily needs. She expressed her gratitude to the government for including her as a beneficiary. 

“Dako kadayaw an ako pasalamat na naapil ako as beneficiary. Dako na ini nga tabang para sa ako adlaw-adlaw na panginahanglan, labi na nga senior citizen na ako (I am very grateful to have been included as a beneficiary. This assistance is a big help for my daily needs, especially now that I am already a senior citizen),” Saldaña said.

Saldaña further said that the assistance gives her a sense of relief as she manages her everyday expenses, adding that government support such as UPLIFT helps beneficiaries like her cope with their basic needs.

The UPLIFT program underscores the government’s commitment to extend social protection to vulnerable sectors by providing timely assistance to help families meet immediate needs and manage financial challenges.

Through the second tranche, beneficiaries in Tandag City will again receive direct support from the government, reinforcing efforts to ensure that social protection programs reach communities and people who need assistance the most. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur)