Legarda assured Cebuanos equal care and support

CEBU, 25 February 2022 – In her two-day visit in the Province of Cebu, three-term Senator and Senatorial Candidate Loren Legarda spent Day 1 meeting the beneficiaries of the assistance that she extended to the Municipality of Liloan in December 2021 after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette.

Together with Cong. Duke Frasco and Lilo-an Mayor Christina Frasco, Legarda visited the coastal communities in Liloan to speak before the fisherfolk who received fishing paraphernalia from Legarda’s personal assistance given last year, which include fishing nets, fishing lines, hooks, sinkers, floaters, rope, stainless wire, boat engine, and flashlights to help them recover their livelihood and source of income.

Legarda shared that her house in Antique is situated in a coastal community. Seeing how her neighbors who are mostly fishermen depend on their daily fish catch to earn a living, Legarda said that “naniniwala ako na ang pagbibigay ng tabang sa ating mga mangingisda ay lubhang mahalaga upang masuportahan ang kanilang hanapbuhay, mapalakas ang kanilang ambag sa ekonomiya, at mapahalagahan ang seguridad sa pagkain. Kaya ng malaman ko ang pananalanta ng bagyong Odette sa Liloan ay agad kong tinawagan si Mayor Frasco at ipinadala ang aking staff upang agad na maipaabot ang aking tulong bago mag-Pasko.”

In her message to the Liloan fisherfolk, Legarda committed that if re-elected to the Senate, she will provide support to more fishermen through the government programs under the different government agencies.

During her term as the former Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, she also helped the fishing communities of Liloan by providing fiberglass boats through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). These were also given to other coastal municipalities in Cebu including Carmen and Dalaguete, among others.

Moreover, the three-term Senator met 2,000 families who received housing and construction materials, financial assistance, food packs, solar lamps, among others from the assistance that she extended in December 2021.

Legarda also visited Mandaue City, where she was welcomed by Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and other local government officials to discuss plans on livelihood assistance and pandemic recovery.

In her meeting with the government officials of Mandaue City, Legarda assured that the Cebuanos will likewise receive equal care and support. She also stressed the importance of providing livelihood programs to Filipinos in a pandemic recovery. Citing several government livelihood programs such as the DOLE TUPAD and Pangkabuhayan, and DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program, Legarda highlighted the need to institutionalize these programs for a more effective implementation at the local level.

“I think we should institutionalize all these livelihood programs of the government so that in the years to come, in the pandemic recovery, we will have grassroots support in terms of livelihood creation,” Legarda said.

Since she became a public servant, Legarda has helped Cebu through various livelihood projects to provide the Cebuanos with employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. For instance, she allocated funds under the DOLE TUPAD Program for all the local government units.

Legarda also recalled that when she first won the senatorial candidate in 1998, she organized “LOREN sa Bawat Barangay,” where LOREN stood for Livelihood Opportunities to Raise Employment Nationwide. As she is hopeful about returning to the Senate, Legarda remained committed to pursuing rural development through – employment generation and entrepreneurship.

Her last stop was Lapu-lapu City where she was overwhelmed by the ecstatic welcome of the people led by Mayor Ahong Chan of the Historic Resort City of Lapu-lapu. The city, which is also celebrating its 500 years Victory of Mactan, was also among the beneficiaries of Legarda’s personal assistance during the typhoon Odette.

Legarda whose home province, Antique, was also among the provinces that sustained damage due to the recent typhoon, extended her help to parts of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, while also helping communities in her province by providing food packs and construction materials, from personal resources.

“Sa gitna ng hindi inaasahang kalamidad na nataon pang magpa-Pasko, hindi ko maialis sa aking sarili ang pagka-Senador kaya maliban sa aking pagpupursige na maibangon ang aking Probinsya ay hindi ko rin magawang talikuran ang ating mga kababayan sa Visayas, Mindanao, at Southern Luzon na dumadaing din ng tulong,”Legarda stated.

In closing, Legarda expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Cebuanos for their unstinting support, and hoped that they are reaping the benefits of the legislations she pushed for when she was still in the Senate. She also assured that she will continue to fight for her advocacies that will uplift the lives of all Cebuanos.***