Inday Loren: We Will Uplift Antique Thru Education, Healthcare, Livelihood

Senator Loren Legarda has declared her programs for her home province of Antique, saying that she will focus on giving Antiqueños access to quality education and healthcare, as well as more livelihood opportunities.

Inday Loren, a three-term senator who is running for representative of the lone district of Antique, made the statement as she led the turnover of her various projects for the province during a ceremony on Friday attended by more than 3,000 Antiqueños at the Binirayan Sports Complex in San Jose.

“The time has come for the Province of Antique to receive the benefits from government. I will not allow my kasimanwas to be left behind. We will lift our people out of poverty by providing good health care services, good quality education, and livelihood programs,” said Legarda.

The Senator turned over scholarship grants under the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Tulong-Dunong Program to more than 3,000 college students from the University of Antique and St. Anthony’s College.

Legarda said that while there is Php40 Billion funding for free college education, CHED’s Tulong Dunong can cover other educational expenses especially of indigent students. She also reminded the youth that there are skills training programs that they can access through TESDA.

Inday Loren also distributed Shared Service Facilities (SSF) grants to recipients from all municipalities of the province; fiberglass boats and post-harvest kits for fisherfolks; and mungbeans to be planted in the municipalities of Libertad, Sebaste, Pandan, Culasi, and Tibiao.

She explained that other livelihood projects include the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) or Kabuhayan Program, which provides assistance for capacity-building on livelihood; while unemployed and displaced Antiqueños may seek assistance through DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced (TUPAD).

The Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) also has a Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) program that aims to empower the poorest and most depressed communities via science and technology interventions.

Legarda also provided breeding stock for dairy farmers and will establish dairy processing centers. She funded the building of community fish landing centers with cold storage in coastal municipalities, and will implement fish processing project for the tuna highway.

The Senator also reminded Antiqueños of the free health care and medical services available to them in all government hospitals in the province and said that she will continue to improve health services and facilities.

Legarda also met with the provincial heads of the various agencies of government to review the implementation of programs and check what else the province needs.

“I will make sure that our beautiful province of Antique will not be left behind. Let not one child be deprived of the opportunity for college education for his or her future. Let not one individual die of sickness due to lack of health services or poor facilities. Let not one Antiqueño be hungry because he or she does not have livelihood or job. We have already provided for all of these and as your Inday Loren, I will do more. Our province will be great like our neighbors in the Panay Island, or even greater,” Legarda concluded.