True to his words, Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda personally reached out to thousands of marginalized families in various coastal villages in Lubao and Sasmuan towns on Tuesday.
The governor brought along medical specialists to assess the health status of the locals as part of the “Alagang Nanay Health Mission” aimed at providing free healthcare services to people with various sickness and in need of medical operations.
“Kapag mayroon na po kayong nararamdamang hindi maganda sa katawan ninyo, nakikiusap po ako sa inyo na huwag muna po kayong didiretso sa mga pribadong ospital. Sabihan niyo po ang mga opisyal niyo sa barangay para kaagad na makarating sa ‘min at matulungan namin kayo. Gagawin po namin ang makakaya namin para hindi na kayo gumastos pa, kami na rin po ang maghahatid-sundo sa inyo,” Gov. Delta said.
The governor also gave opportunity to college and graduating senior high school students to pursue education through the Educational Financial Assistance Program of the provincial government.
“‘Yung mayroong mga anak na nasa kolehiyo o magko-kolehiyo, ibigay ninyo ang pangalan sa kapitan ninyo para masali sa scholarship program ng Kapitolyo. Tuluy-tuloy ang magiging suporta sa kanila hanggang sa makatapos sila,” the governor added.
Gov. Delta also dispatched several teams to distribute relief packs to 5,254 families affected by coastal storms and high tides in the said areas.
Each pack contains 5 kilograms of rice, 5 cans of corned beef, 5 cans of sardines, and frozen meat.
Aside from medical and food assistance, each family also received a cash assistance worth P500.
These were personally distributed by Gov. Delta with the assistance of 2nd District Board Members Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab, Fritzie David-Dizon, and Sajid Khan Eusoof, Sasmuan Mayor Catalina Cabrera, Lubao Vice Mayor Jay Montemayor, and Special Assistant to the Governor Angelina Blanco.
Wenceslao de Guzman, chief of Brgy. Bancal Sinubli, was ‘very eager and happy’ in welcoming the governor and other officials to their barangay.
“Napakaswerte namin na dumating si Governor Delta rito, kahit na maliit lang ang aming barangay ay binigyan niya kami ng pansin. Maligaya kami, at walang hanggan ang aming pasasalamat para sa kanya,” said de Guzman.
He also expressed his thanks to the governor for committing P5-million in addition to the P5-million fund given by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the rehabilitation of the seawall protecting their barangay from sea level rise.
Aside from his commitment to Brgy. Bancal Sinubli, Gov. Delta vowed to fund the construction of 2-storey barangay hall in Brgy. Sebitanan and the port and waiting shed in Brgy. Malusac, and allot P3-million for the water system in Brgy. Batang 2nd in the municipality of Sasmuan.
Among the barangays which benefited from the program were Barangays Bancal Pugad, Bancal Sinubli, and Sta. Teresita II in Lubao; and, Batang 1st, Batang 2nd, Mabuanbuan, Malusac, and Sebitanan in Sasmuan. –Jasmine Jaso/Pampanga PIO
