Marcos personally graced the distribution held at the Carmen gymnasium together with Cotabato Governor Emmylou T. Mendoza, Cotabato’s third district Congresswoman Ma. Alana Samantha T. Santos, Carmen Municipal Mayor Rogelio Taliño and other officials from Cotabato province.
Of the P16 million, P6 million went to 3,000 beneficiaries from Carmen and Kabacan at P2,000 each. Those who received the financial aid are mostly women, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, and many individuals from the marginalized sector according to Loretto Vargas Cabaya , the director of DSWD Region 12.
He said the remaining P10 million cash aid went to 5,000 agriculture students of the University of Southern Mindanao of Kabacan. The students received financial assistance from Marcos at the provincial capitol in Amas, Kidapawan City.
Mendoza, Santos, and Taliño thanked Marcos for the financial aid to their constituents in Cotabato.
Marcos is head of the Senate finance sub-committee in charge of DSWD's budget.
Marcos at a press conference held shortly after the financial aid distribution said, the provincial government of Cotabato had previously provided its counterpart share to the AICS program.
She said people from the marginalized sector especially the students need help due to the impact of the two-year COVID crisis. “Schools were closed for two years due to the pandemic and the students/pupils are catching up. The tuition is free (for public schools) except for transportation, allowance in going to school, and gadgets needed in school,” Marcos said.
She said more help is needed for graduating students so they could graduate and later on, help their families.
“We are prioritizing yung mga patapos na yung 3rd year to 4th year para sigurado silang makagraduate , hanap ng trabaho and para makatulong sila sa pamilya,” Marcos said.
AICS is one of the social welfare services of the DSWD that provides medical assistance, burial, transportation, education, food, or financial assistance for other support services or needs of a person or family.
Cabaya said AICS is given annually or as the need arises especially in case of emergencies adding the poorer families are given priority to said assistance program.
Beneficiaries receive cash aid from Sen. Imee Marcos, Gov. Emmylou T. Mendoza, Congresswoman Ma. Alana Samantha Santos, and Carman mayor Rogelio Talino, photo Cotabato Province FB page
Sen, Imee Marcos answers questions from the media during a press conference in Carmen held after the distribution of cash aid as Gov. Emmylou T. Mendoza and Cotabato Congresswoman Ma. Alana SSamantha T. Santos listen.
Some of the beneficiaries present at the Carmen gymnasium
Facebook Conversations