Residents from the
barangays who were identified by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) and the National Nutrition Council (NNC) at the
regional office as the poorest in their areas trooped to the venue of
the activity as early as six o’clock in the morning to receive their
package of gifts.
Secretary Sergio
Apostol, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel who arrived Biliran by
chopper at the Biliran National Agricultural College (BNAC) helipad at
around 9:00 o’clock in the morning together with his party composed of
regional Directors of the line agencies led in the ceremonial
distribution of the gift packs from the President to the first 20
identified recipients coming from the barangays of Biliran town. He
was assisted by Director Juan Sabulao of the Technical Education
Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), Director Letecia Corillo of
DSWD, Asst. Director Adelaida Asperin of DOH, Regional Manager
Benjamin Marta of the National Food Authority (NFA), Director Olive
Tiu of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Director Leo Caneda of
the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other officials.
Aside from the gift
package of goodies, the recipients of the Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo
likewise received a package of services to help them earn livelihood
that would augment their family income.
In his welcome
remarks, Mayor Carlos “Charlie” Chan of Biliran town expressed his
appreciation and thanks to President Arroyo through Sec. Apostol and
to the guests as he said, he was deeply honored that today, his town
was visited by government officials who brought in the Pamaskong
Handog ng Pangulo saying that this would make the less privileged
families in his town happy during this holiday season.
He said that if there
would be another Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo in the future, he hopes
there would be more for the poor families of Biliran town.
Mayor Chan was
delighted to say that he felt so good because his very own town-Biliran,
was the first to receive the Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo in the whole
of Eastern Visayas.
“We would like to
graduate from the list of poorest provinces in the country. Please
give priority always to Biliran town and Biliran province”, he said.
For his part, Sec.
Apostol who represented President Arroyo was the guest of honor in
this morning’s launching ceremony said “this is only the beginning of
a series of activities that will help the parents of poor families
keep their children in good health through proper nutrition”.
“Biliran is lucky
because it is the first province in region 8 to receive the grace of
the program of President Arroyo on poverty alleviation through the
Pamaskong Handong ng Pangulo. Biliran is priority two, meaning in
region 8, it is the priority area”, he said.
He ended by saying “we
are here to help bring the gift from the President to the people of
Biliran town and the entire province”.
According to Mercedita
Ochea of the DSWD regional office and point person of the activity in
Biliran, the distribution of the gift package in other municipalities
in the province was done simultaneously with Biliran town this morning
except for the municipality of Kawayan which will distribute the
Pamaskong Handog ng Presidente in another schedule.
The activity in
Biliran town was very dramatic as everyone saw the placards displayed
by the parents of the beneficiaries and some beneficiaries themselves
at the venue of the program thanking President Arroyo for the jobs
they have at present through the trainings they got from concerned
agencies on poverty alleviation.
The placards carried
messages like “Salamat Madame President, Ang Anak Ko Nagtatrabahon na
sa Qatar”, “Nagtatrabaho Na Ang Anak Ko sa Holiday Inn – Salamat
Madame President, “Salamat Ma’am, may sarili na akong welding
shop”, and many more messages of thanks especially from parents whose
children have landed in jobs abroad because of President Arroyo’s
program to help poor families increase their income through skills
training and other livelihood programs.
On the other hand, the
beneficiaries in Biliran town, thanked the President for the gift they
received through Sec. Apostol.
Eufemia Mendoza, 59
years old, laborer with nine children and a resident of Brgy. San
Isidro, Biliran, Biliran was teary-eyed as she thanked President
Arroyo for the packs of goodies, in an interview.
Norlita Corpina, 36
years old, a housewife with five children and likewise one of the
recipients of the gift pack from Brgy. San Roque said, “ito ang unang
pagkataon na ako at ang aking pamilya ay nakatanggap ng regalo mula
kay Presidente Macapagal-Arroyo. Sana tuwing Pasko may pamasko kami
galing sa kanya”, she said.
She added that the
goodies she received are enough to let her family especially the
children feel the joy of the holiday season.
As part of the
Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo gift package, the DSWD through Director
Letecia Corillo distributed the Tindahan Natin Operators (TNO)
certificates to operate to the beneficiaries.
Scholarship coupons
and training starter kits for the “Galing Mekaniko Ako” and “Galing
Masahista Ako” were given to the trainees in this particular program
by TESDA through Director Juan Sabulao.
Certificates to
operate a Food Terminal in Naval and seeds were also given to the
beneficiaries by Director Leo Caneda of the DA.
On the other hand, DOH
through Assistant Director Asperin who represented Director Teogenes
Baluma turned over drugs and medicines to the Biliran Municipal Health
Office.
Earlier before the
arrival of Sec. Apostol and his party, the NNC through the Leyte State
University (LSU) conducted a cooking demonstration to teach the
beneficiaries especially the mothers how to prepare nutritious but
cheap meals and other menu for the family. During the cooking demo,
they prepared “puto” made of squash, vegetable lumpia and other
nutritious recipes and foods.
A total of 7,011
households in six municipalities were beneficiaries of the Pamaskong
Handog ng Pangulo in the entire
province of
Biliran.
The distribution of
the gift packs by the local officials in Biliran town continued even
as Sec. Apostol and his party has left by chopper for Sta. Rita in
Samar province for the same activity.
