Marcos turns over P136M aid to Cotabato provinces

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday led the turnover of P96 million in financial assistance under the socio-civic projects fund to the Cotabato provincial government, and P40 million to the South Cotabato government.

This, as the President paid a visit to the two provinces for the “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” program.

“Layunin ng nasabing kaganapan na pabilisin ang pag-aabot ng tulong mula sa national government para sa lokal na pamahalaan at mga komunidad,” Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said in a press briefing.

(The purpose of the event is to speed up the delivery of aid from the national government to the local government and communities.)

“Sa ilalim ng programa, nagpaabot ang Office of the President ng P40 million sa 200 barangay sa South Cotabato at P96 million naman para sa 480 na barangay sa lalawigan ng Cotabato,” she added.

(Under the program, the Office of the President turned over P40 million to 200 barangays in South Cotabato and P96 million to 480 barangays in Cotabato province.)

The Socio-Civic Projects Fund is a grant program from the Office of the President that provides direct financial assistance to local communities. Through initiatives like the “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” program, it provides funding to barangays and local government units to support localized public services, disaster management, and educational support.

Marcos on Thursday likewise visited the implementation sites of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program of the Department of Agriculture and the Walang Gutom Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Surallah, South Cotabato.

The President also led the inauguration of the Antong Dam and Irrigation System Project in Sultan Kudarat.

“Matatandaang nasira ang dam noong 2021 dulot ng malakas na pag-ulan at paulit-ulit na pagbaha na naging sanhi ng pagkaantala ng patubig sa mga magsasaka,” Castro said.

(It could be recalled that the dam was damaged in 2021 due to heavy rains and continuous flooding that caused irrigation delays to farmers.)

Through the project, irrigation services have been restored to farmland in the barangays of Antong, Sampong and Manili, benefiting 355 farmers and contributing to long-term agricultural productivity and food security. —LDF, GMA News