House Speaker gives P26.5-M to Benguet- Baguio storm victims

By Mel Sedano

BAGUIO CITY – House Speaker Ferdinand Marin Romualdez recently distributed more than P26.5 million worth of financial assistance to calamity-stricken victims of Super typhoon Egay in Baguio and Benguet.
    Romualdez visited Baguio and Benguet right after the wrath of the typhoon to distribute some P5 million worth of assistance under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) of the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to some 500 calamity-stricken residents who were given P10,000 financial assistance each.
    The House Speaker was accompanied by Baguio City Rep. Mark Go and Benguet Rep. Eric Yap during the distribution of the financial assistance to calamity victims who were in evacuation centers.
    Aside from Financial assistance given to calamity victims and the Baguio and Benguet local government, Romualdez also distributed food packs to affected families.
    Romualdez also gave P10 million assistance under the AICS to Baguio Rep. Mark Go and another P10 million to the local government which will be given to other calamity victims who will be able evaluated by the Social Welfare department.

The Speaker also gave P500,000 cash each to congressmen Go and Yap which will be used by their offices for emergency response to typhoon victims.

Go expressed gratitude of the people and officialdom of the city to Romualdez and the House of Representatives for their generosity in immediately providing financial assistance to the calamity victims of Baguio and Benguet.

“Taus pusong pasasalamat sa ating House Speaker Martin Romualdez at mga kasama natin sa Kongreso sa mabilis na tulong para sa Baguio,” Go said.

Also joining Go, Yap and Romualdez during distribution of financial assistance were Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and City Councilors

Betty Lourdes F. Tabanda and Jose Molintas including Brig. Gen. David K. Peredo, Jr., Cordillera police director.

Go also expressed gratitude to punong barangays, the

DSWD-CAR team led by regional director Leo Quntilla, and DSWD-CAR Crisis Intervention Section (CIS) representative Nelly Mason; OCSWADO team lead by City Social Welfare and

Development Officer Liza Bulayungan and the Office of the Congressman team led by Mel

Sedano for their quick response in validating, processing and distributing the financial assistance to city residents and identified beneficiaries.

He thanked the Department of Education – Division of City Schools, the Baguio Central School and the Baguio City Police Office for their support in the successful and orderly distribution of financial assistance to the identified recipients of Baguio.

“My office will continue to be with the Baguio family as we recover from Typhoon Egay,” Go added.