• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A total of 2,158 indigent senior citizens from all 23 barangays of E. B. Magalona have received their social pension from the DSWD this year, amounting to P6,000 each, during simultaneous payouts in various venues on May 7 and 8.
The P6,000 assistance represents their stipend for the first semester of the year (January to June), at P1,000 per month, which was increased this year, from P500 per month last year.
The first day payout was held in various upland and coastal barangays catering to clustered barangays, while the second day payout was held at the Public Plaza, catering to Poblacions 1, 2, and 3.
Present during the payout on the second day were Mayor Marvin Malacon and Executive Assistant Matthew Louis Malacon, who both provided snacks to the senior citizens.
The payouts were facilitated by DSWD-6 Social Pension Program staff, led by DSWD-6 project development officer Jezza Mae Sombilla, assisted by MSWDO staff, led by Municipal Social Welfare Officer Emy Lyn Hibionada.
On the other hand, the first batch of 99 hog raisers from the municipality of E. B. Magalona in Negros Occidental, whose pigs were affected by transboundary swine diseases, received financial assistance from the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental on May 8.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the turnover of cash assistance totaling P198,000.
Assisting the governor were Vice Mayor Eric Matulac, who represented Mayor Marvin Malacon; Sangguniang Bayan Members Gilda Parcon and Gelita Parcon, and Municipal Agriculturist Efren Garcia Jr.*
