Upon the instruction of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, in partnership with Tingog Partylist and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), spearheaded the relief efforts in affected areas of the recent Typhoon Julian, bringing them P25 million worth of relief goods and facilitating the request for the immediate release of over P100 million in cash aid to affected families, a press release from the House of Representatives said.
Speaker Romualdez and Tingog, led by Representatives Yedda Romualdez and Jude Acidre, said they have identified the 10 congressional districts that were hard-hit by the recent typhoon and requested Social Welfare Sec. Rex Gatchalian to release P10 million for each district under the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), President Marcos’s flagship program.
“We are ensuring that each affected district receives the support it needs to recover from this calamity. Hindi pababayaan ng administrasyon ni PBBM ang ating mga kababayan na nasalanta ng bagyong Julian,” Speaker Romualdez said.
“Through AKAP, we aim to provide immediate cash assistance to help families get back on their feet,” the leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives added.
House Deputy Secretary-General Sofonias “Ponyong” P. Gabonada Jr., said they have ascertained that the hardest-hit districts are from the following members of the House: Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato, Cagayan Rep. Ramon Nolasco, Cagayan Rep. Aline Vargas-Alfonso, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Barba, Kalinga Rep. Allen Mangaoang, Apayao Rep. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang, Abra Rep. Ching Bernos, Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson, and Cagayan Rep. Jojo Lara.
In addition to the cash aid, the offices of Speaker Romualdez and Tingog Partylist have prepared 5,000 relief packs per district, containing essential goods such as food, and water, worth a total of P25 million for the 10 districts and sourced from Speaker Romualdez’s personal calamity fund.
Gabonada said these relief packs are being readied for delivery and distribution to affected families in coordination with the congressional districts to ensure that aid reaches those in need as quickly as possible.*
