Marcos turns over P453.8-M in aid to Sulu, Zamboanga Peninsula

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday led the turnover of P453.8 million in financial assistance under the Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF), with Zamboanga Peninsula getting P371.8 million and Sulu receiving P82 million.

Marcos first turned over the Sulu allocation to Sulu Governor Abdusakur “Toto” Tan III and the provincial federation of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC).

Under the program, each of Sulu’s 410 barangays will receive P200,000, with half earmarked for the scholarships of five students.

The remaining P100,000, Marcos said, would be left to barangay officials for projects they deem necessary.

“Malakas ang paniwala ko na walang nakakaalam sa problema sa isang barangay kung hindi ang mga barangay official,” he said.

(I firmly believe that no one knows the problems of a barangay better than the barangay officials.)

Aside from the financial aid, the President also led the distribution of rice assistance under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) for around 3,000 poor and near-poor families in Sulu.

“Hindi ito minsanan lang. Magbibigay kami ng sako ng bigas anim na beses sa loob ng isang taon. So kada dalawang buwan, meron po ulit nito,” Marcos said.

(This is not a one-time assistance. We will provide a sack of rice six times in a year, so every two months, you will receive this again.)

Tan thanked the national government for the support, saying it gave hope to the Tausug people and showed that Sulu had not been neglected.

Marcos later led the turnover of P371.8 million in SCPF assistance for communities in the Zamboanga Peninsula.

The funds were distributed as follows: P138.2 million for Zamboanga del Norte, P136.2 million for Zamboanga del Sur, P77 million for Zamboanga Sibugay, and P19 million for Zamboanga City.

Under the same program, each barangay in the region will also receive P200,000, with P100,000 allotted for scholarships.

“Kung kaya namin gawin ang hinihingi ninyo, gagawin namin. Basta’t hanggat kaya ng pamahalaan na makatulong sa inyo sa kahit anong paraan, basta’t sinabi ninyo na kailangan ninyo at kaya naming ibigay, gagawin po natin,” Marcos said during a program at Western Mindanao State University.

(If we can do what you are asking for, we will do it. As long as the government is able to help you in any way, if you tell us what you need and we can provide it, we will do so.)

Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Olaso, for his part, thanked the national government, saying stronger coordination between national and local governments helps speed up the delivery of aid.— MCG, GMA News