LAWYER Lemuel Romero (right), Head Executive Assistant (HEA) of the Office of Speaker, turns over financial assistance from Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Tingog Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude Acidre to lawmakers' (Cagayan 3rd District Rep. Joseph Lara; Ilocos Sur 2nd District Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan; and Cagayan 1st District Rep. Ramon Nolasco) authorized representatives for Super Typhoon Egay victims in a simple ceremony at Batasan Complex in Quezon City Thursday afternoon.
SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Tingog Party-list have allocated and arranged the release of a total of P117 million in relief goods and financial assistance to victims of Super Typhoon Egay in Northern Luzon.
The release of the assistance will start this Thursday, Romualdez, head of the 312-member House of Representatives, said Wednesday.
“We hope the aid will ease the pain and suffering of our people who are affected by the super howler,” Romualdez said.
He asked the people of the north to keep safe amid the lingering threat of heavy rains, flooding and landslide as Egay moves away from the country.
The highest ranking House leader also urged concerned agencies and local government units to undertake road and infrastructure repairs as soon as weather permits.
Tingog Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez said the relief and financial assistance “symbolizes the compassion of the House leadership and its commitment to help our people in distress.”
“We hope our kababayan in the north and their communities are able to recover fast from this adversity,” she said.
Of the P117 million in relief and financial assistance, P22 million will come from Speaker Romualdez’s personal calamity fund, raised partly from contributions from friends during his birthday celebration last year.
The remaining P95 million will be released from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development under Sec. Rex Gatchalian.
In the past, the Speaker’s office and Tingog that includes Rep. Jude Acidre have collaborated to give relief and cash assistance and arranged for the disbursement of AICS funds to victims of typhoon, fire and other calamities.
The allocation of the P117 million is as follows:
1. Ilocos Norte, 1st District (represented by Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos): P1 million cash assistance, P2 million relief goods (5,000 packs), and P10 million AICS.
2. Ilocos Sur, 2nd District (Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson-Meehan): P1 million cash, P2 million relief goods (5,000 packs), and P10 million AICS.
3. Cagayan, 1st District (Rep. Ramon C. Nolasco Jr.): P2 million cash, P4 million relief goods (10,000 packs), and P20 million AICS.
4. Cagayan, 2nd District (Rep. Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso): P1 million cash assistance, P4 million relief goods (10,000 food packs), and P20 million AICS.
5. Ilocos Sur, 1st District (Rep. Ronald V. Singson): P5 million AICS.
6. Cagayan, 3rd District (Rep. Joseph “Jojo” L. Lara): P1 million cash, P1 million in relief goods (2,500 food packs), and P10 million AICS.
7. Benguet, Lone District (Rep. Eric Go Yap): P10 million in AICS, P500,000 in cash assistance, and P1 million worth of relief goods (2,500 food packs).
8. Baguio City (Rep. Mark O. Go): P500,000 cash, P1 million in relief goods (2,500 food packs), and P10 million in AICS.
