CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—More than a thousand Aeta families received assorted goods from the provincial government headed by Governor Lilia Nanay Baby Pineda yesterday, in the highlands of Nabuclod Resettlement in Floridablanca and Barangay Planas in Porac, respectively.
As this developed, the governor also took the chance to meet with the barangay officials of the said resettlement area and discussed with them their utmost issues and concerns pertaining to irrigation, organic farming and other pressing matters.
The progress and economic growth aimed by the governor entails symmetry with the highland villages.
The governor was joined by 2nd district Board members Anthony Joseph Torres and Salvador Dimson Jr., chief-of-staff Fritzie David Dizon, Councilor’s League president Mike Tapang, Porac mayor Carling dela Cruz and Floridablanca mayor Eddie Guerrero.
Furthermore, the provincial government with the support of the National Housing Authority, have also provided 172 core shelters to house 144 Aeta families in the amount of P14 million last year.
At present, Capitol’s AETA Development Program through the office of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development, has 782 Aeta scholars from high school to college who enjoy full scholarships including boarding house assistance and allowances.
For the period of less than five years, the provincial government has provided them a total of P4,841,809.59 fund allocation for education.
Meanwhile, there are more than 400 students who enjoy free education from pre-elementary to grade six at the Nabuclod Elementary School.
It can be recalled that in 2011, the provincial government headed by the chief provincial executive signed up a memorandum of agreement with the Aeta tribe of Nabuclod Floridablanca.
The said agreement aims to develop the one thousand hectares out of the five thousand hectare ancestral domains of the Aetas in Nabuclod into an Agriculture Eco-Tourism Center of the province with its thriving natural draw of different mountain shapes and slopes to boost.
Roads were also refined and made concrete for safe travel and to facilitate trek on the area.
By Maribel U. Singca
