Cash, rice aid to fire victims, villagers in DO
GOVERNOR GENEROSO, Davao Oriental – The provincial government distributed cash and rice assistance to families in the village of Tibanban here last October 14.
Thirty-five families received cash aid while some 2,489 poor families received rice assistance, distributed at the barangay gym.
Personally handed over by Gov. Corazon N. Malanyaon, the cash aid distribution responds to the fire incident here last August, which burned the residents’ houses down to the ground.
Fourteen families, whose homes were totally damaged received P8,000 each each, while the other 21 families with partially damaged homes were given P5,000 each.
Bernardino Miflores, 60 year-old resident of Tibanban, who lost his home and his tailoring shop due to the fire, said the cash assistance is a great help to him, especially in starting off with the repair of their house.
“It isn’t much to build a house, but it would definitely help as we start over,” he said.
The municipal government unit of Governor Generoso had already distributed emergency cash assistance last month for the fire-affected families.
Although the assistance was not enough, Malanyaon said this aid comes from the genuine service of the provincial government to its people and hopes it could be of help for them even in the short-term.
As the provincial government hatches development programs that are now starting to emerge, a booming local economy is anticipated that would help give a boost to local residents’ livelihoods.
These long-term programs include, among others, the emerging tourism development program in relation to the recently Unesco-inscribed Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary and the massive Cacao Industry Development Program that is starting to make a huge impact here.
Meanwhile, due to the heavy monsoon rains, the provincial government also handed over four kilos of rice for each of the more than 2,000 families in the village.
A coastal village, most of the residents here depends on fishing as their primary source of livelihood. And with the heavy seasonal monsoon, which prevent them from sailing and fishing, residents don’t have enough sources to provide for their families. Residents said they are thankful of the rice assistance as it would help them get by.
The provincial govern- ment urged residents to be strong and resilient with this difficult times and hopes that the handed assistance would at least curb the difficulty of their situation. KLD