Assistance for Antiqueños amid COVID-19 crisis Continues- Legarda

Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda assures that assistance for her fellow kasimanwa is overflowing amid the COVID-19 crisis. Aside from the Social Amelioration Program (SAP), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) AICS and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) TUPAD Program are still ongoing to cater to the needs of the Antiqueños amid Covid-19 crisis.

The AICS or Assistance to Crisis in Individual Situation is intended for medical, burial, transportation, and medical assistance. Due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine brought by Covid-19, financial assistance can be given under other forms of assistance such as PUI/PUM or lost of income or opportunity, including those who are not able to avail SAP. A total of Php38 million is given to the province.

AICS assistance was first distributed last March 13 to April 16 to 2,115 PUM/PUI beneficiaries in different municipalities in the province, amounting to Php6,345,000.00.

For the second batch of AICS distribution, 200 slots were given to Libertad, which were distributed last April 20; 200 slots were also given to Laua-an which were distributed last April 22; and 400 slots were given to Caluya which will be distributed on April 28.

Each LGU were given 200 slots, except for Pandan and Caluya with 400 slots for AICS. A total of Php23,445,000 AICS for the 1st and 2nd batch of AICS will be distributed for those in need and for those who are not covered by the SAP.

Deputy Speaker Legarda also added 200 slots for the islands of Mararison, Batbatan, and Maningning in Culasi.

Meanwhile, Php41.4 million fund for DOLE TUPAD Program is allotted in Antique with a total of 9,892 beneficiaries in the province. These will include families of frontliners, families of PUM/PUI, 700 sacadas who did not receive assistance through the SAP, requests from various groups received by the District Office, and 6,000 displaced workers from MSMEs in Antique that will not be covered by DOLE Covid-19 Adjustment Measurement Program or DOLE CAMP.

According to Deputy Speaker Legarda, sacadas who will go back to Antique and who were not able to receive assistance through SAP will receive AICS fund from DSWD.

“Upon crossing our borders, our sacadas will still have to follow health safety protocols and their respective LGUs will transport them to the isolation area, have their temperature taken and will conduct rapid testing for them. We will not let our sacadas go home empty-handed,” Legarda stated.

Additionally, Pagkaon Para sa Tanan project initiated by Deputy Speaker will still continue in order to support local farmers and provide vegetables to the poor and hungry people in the province.

“We will provide all the assistance needed by my kasimanwa amid this crisis. I encourage everyone to help each other emotionally and psychologically. We will win this battle if we help one another,” Legarda concluded. #