Marcos distributes El Niño aid in Sultan Kudarat, GenSan

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Friday distributed cash assistance to identified farmers and fisherfolk in Sultan Kudarat and General Santos City affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon.

Marcos led the distribution of various forms of assistance to farmers, fisherfolk, and families in a ceremonial distribution in the Municipality of Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

After that, he also gave cash assistance worth P10,000 each to 30 beneficiaries from Region XII as well as P10 million to the City Government of General Santos, P50 million to the Provincial Government of South Cotabato, and P50 million to the Provincial Government of Sarangani.

''Yung ating mga magsasaka, ating mga mangingisda dahil sa ngayon ay nahihirapan sila ngunit ang long-term na plano diyan ay talagang tulungan sila sa pagbigay ng binhi, pagbigay ng ayuda, pagbigay ng pataba, lahat, at pati na ‘yung mga makinarya para sa processing ng...Hindi lamang bigas, kung hindi mais, kung hindi lahat, pati na lahat --- ‘yung mga cold storage,'' Marcos said in an ambush interview. 

(Our farmers and fishermen are currently struggling, but the long-term plan is to really help them by providing seeds, aid, fertilizer, and machinery for the processing of rice, corn, and everything else.)

Several government agencies also provided various aid, such as cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), livelihood toolkits and allowance from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and five (5) kilos of rice to each beneficiary from the Office of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. —VAL, GMA Integrated News