Masbate residents get ₧16.8-M relief from mining firm PGPRC
SOME 21,329 families in Aroroy, Masbate have received relief packs from the Philippine Gold Processing and Refining Corp., which had earlier e arm ark edp 16.8 million to support the anti-c ovid 19 efforts of the province and the municipality which hosts PGPRC’S mining site.
The firm also turned over an ambulance unit to them as bate provincial Health Office through the Office of the Governor, and another unit is set to be delivered in the next few weeks.
PGPRC owns and operates the processing plant of the Masbate Gold Project located in the municipality of Aroroy, which has stimulated the local economies and created jobs for people in Masbate, particularly in Aroroy.
PGPRC had already disbursed P12 million (from the P16.8 million), specifically for funding support directed at Aroroy’s rural health units, including medical frontliners, who have also received weekly food packs, plus food relief pack for 6,398 families in eight barangays, and 14,931 families from 33 neighboring barangays.
PGPRC President Dan Moore said that in the context of the “worldwide health and economic crisis that we are experiencing, we all have to do our part in working together to protect and provide not only for ourselves and our families but also for the community as a whole.”
Since March 15, the gold firm has been working with Masbate Gov. Antonio Kho, Aroroy Mayor Art Virtucio, and local line agencies to provide Aroroy’s rural health unit quarantine tents with health amenities, gallons of rubbing alcohol, N95 masks, and food packs. Some 500 sacks of rice were also donated to the provincial government for distribution to marginalized constituents in other municipalities.
In April, PGPRC and the municipal government of Aroroy distributed food packs for the eight impact barangays and 33 neighboring barangays. This effort covered rice subsidies of all of Aroroy’s 41 barangays.
PGPRC has sustained its continuing support programs, such as providing meals to the enforcement frontliners of Aroroy who man the check points and quarantine areas.