ABUCAY, Bataan: Senator Imee Marcos on Saturday announced various assistance to women, mostly wives of farmers, during the 26th anniversary celebration of the Kababaihan ng Bataan para sa Kaunlaran (Kabaka) held here.
Marcos handed P3,000 each to 1,000 women beneficiaries, announced the allocation of P5 million to help women and farmers and release by the Department of Agriculture next month of P5,000 rice assistance to each palay farmer.
The senator said the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease brought hardship to many families but now that the country is about free from it, other problems arose
“Ang problema naman ay ang nakakasindak na presyo ng bilihin. Presyo pa lang ng gasolina, diesel ay hirap na ganoon din ang iba’t ibang bilihin. Ang mga nanay na sadyang frontliner ng bawat pamilya di man lang makagisa kapag walang sibuyas, wala pang bawang na ang mahal-mahal,” she said.
Marcos hoped that the P3,000 cash assistance, though meager, will at least help ease the hardship of mothers.
“Ang sabi nga kapag binigyan mo ang nanay ay talagang walang nalulustay, ang utang nababayadan, dirediretso sa hapag kainan wala ng left o right turn, pasikot sikot at dumidiretso sa pagkain, sa libro, sa damit ng bata at bawat miyembro ng pamilya,” Marcos said.
She reminded the big audience of the project of her late father, former President Marcos, on Kadiwa stores where she said no additional prices were imposed in the absence of traders and cartel.
“ito ang gusto kong ibalik at sana kung maalaala ninyo ang malalaking tinapay na kinakain noong elementary na nutribun. Ito ang inaasahan ko na tayong lahat ay tulong-tulong na maibalik ang nutribun kasi alam naman natin na hirap ang ating mga kabataan ngayon kaya kailangan nasa sapat na sustansiya ang kanilang pagkain,” she said.
On the P5M-fund she is going to give, Marcos wanted it go into livelihood projects like food processing, cold storage, delivery truck for Bataan products to be sold in the right prices that will bring additional income to women, especially families of farmers.
Abucay Mayor Robin Tagle thanked Senator Marcos for her concern to farmers and women of the town. He said he will continue in coordinating with the senator and Ist district Congresswoman Geraldine Roman on projects that will benefit women and other sectors, especially farmers.
Roman said they were happy that the senator graced the 26th anniversary of Kabaka that they used to celebrate yearly for 26 years, except for two years because of the pandemic.
Roman’s father, late Congressman Antonino Roman and mother, former Rep. of the 1st district Herminia Roman, founded the Kabaka. Her brother, provincial Board member Lawyer Tony Roman, also attended the celebration.
Gov. Jose Enrique Garcia III and Vice Gov. Cris Garcia congratulated members of Kabaka and assured that they are ready to support endeavors for the good of women.
