MARCOS JR LEADS AID DISTRIBUTION IN MARCE-HIT CAGAYAN

November 11, 2024 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (November 10, 2024)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the government aid distribution in Marce-ravaged Cagayan province on Sunday morning. Marcos Jr. turned over P10 million worth of financial assistance from the Office of the President (OP) funds to each of the eight severely affected towns— Aparri, Buguey, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Teresita, Baggao, Gattaran, Gonzaga and Santa Ana.

Underscoring the government’s commitment to providing timely support and resources to communities affected by natural calamities, the President together with other government officials including DSWD chief Rexton T. Gatchalian, also handed out various assistance packages to families in Buguey town, sending out hope for immediate recovery amidst the destruction by Marce.

DSWD distributed 1,500 food packs while the Department of Agriculture (DA) provided P866.33 million worth of aid to distraught farmers that included hybrid rice seeds, fertilizer discounts and poultry assistance with native chickens and ducks to help farmers restart agriculture activities. The Cagayan provincial government also in the thick of relief efforts, gave out 300 food packs with a buffer stock of 500 packs ready for further distribution, it said.

Typhoon ‘Marce’ exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) after making two landfalls in Cagayan Province on Friday, brought strong winds and heavy rain, causing significant damage across Cagayan. Cagayan is still under a Yellow Rainfall Warning due to Tropical Storm ‘Nika’ that is expected to bring moderate to heavy rain in a few hours from now. This adds to the recovery challenges for communities still dealing with Typhoon Marce’s aftermath, said Gatchalian.

Artemio A. Dumlao