Elderly man shows cash aid he received. Photo by Armand M. Galang
LICAB, Nueva Ecija – At least 52,400 senior citizens in the 1st District of Nueva Ecija received cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the family of Rep. Estrellita Suansing amid pandemic.
Suansing who personally supervised the distribution of P1,000 each to every senior citizen at the municipal gym here on Tuesday, said their family beefed up the fund to make sure the the program called Malasakit sa Kapwa could reach all the needy.
“Lalung-lalo na itong mga senior citizens dahil sila yung nangangailangan ng proteksyon – vitamins, gamot pang-maintenance nila,” Suansing said.
Of the recipients, 13,000 were from the municipality of Guimba; 12,000 from Talavera; 6,500 each from the towns of Sto. Domingo, Aliaga, and Cuyapo; 3,000 from Licab; 1,900 from Nampicuan; and 3,000 from Zaragoza.
Through the initiative of her daughter Mika, Suansing said they are also extending assistance in the form of grocery packs to teachers, market vendors, persons with disabilities, and single parents.
“Balak ko rin na magbigay mga ayuda sa mga tricycle drivers kasi hindi lumalabas yung ating mga kababayan kaya wala silang masyadong kita,” the legislator added.
“Itong mga ibinababa namin ngayon, honestly hindi ako ang nag-isip nito kumdi si Mika. Medyo naantala ito, last week medyo umiiyak na si Mika sa akin dahil ayoko ngang lumabas dahil wala pa akong proteksyonna bakuna pero umiiyak na si Mika na kailangan na talaga lumabas,” Suansing said.
She called on senior citizens to get vaccinated.
