‘LOVE PACKAGE’: Bello, Tugade turn over assistance to Iloilo City, province

To show that the national government also looks after the Ilonggos, Sec. Arthur Tugade of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Sec. Silvestre “Bebot” Bello III of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) turned over a horde of assistance to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, lone district Rep. Julienne “Jam-Jam” Baronda, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.  and several Iloilo mayors.

Tugade said they came to fulfill the promise of Pres. Duterte to give a comfortable life to the Filipinos and deliver the “package of love” of the chief executive to the Ilonggos.

“Naniniwala ako na kung anuman ang Iloilo ngayon, konti lang ‘yan sa kanyang mararating sa kinabukasan. Lalaki at lalago ang pamahalaang Iloilo. Kaya nga ‘ho ang pamahalaang Duterte ay nandidito ngayon upang sa kaniyang modest na paraan ay makatulong sa paglaki at paglago ng Iloilo,” Tugade told the beneficiaries at the Iloilo Convention Center Monday.

Sec. Bello told the officials and beneficiaries, “Alam niyo po kaya kami nandito ni Secretary Tugade? Isa lang ang aming pakay. Ang iparating sa inyong mga kababayan namin sa Region 6 ang ayuda ng gobyerno ni Presidente Duterte. Sabi ni Presidente, pera niyo ‘yan kaya basta meron ay ipamigay sa inyo.”

Rep. Baronda thanked the duo who have been with Ilonggos since the pandemic started.

“When the pandemic broke, when the lockdown started, DOTr looked for ways for us to be able to ship PPEs and other medical supplies from Manila to Iloilo. They helped us send specimens from Iloilo to Manila since we did not have an RT-PCR testing center here then. Sec. Tugade along with Philippine Coast Guard and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines helped ferry stranded Ilonggos and OFW back home. They did these and a lot more,” Baronda recounted how DOTr helped the Ilonggos.

She also underscored that DOLE unloaded TUPAD, CAMP, Tabang OFW and other assistance to Iloilo City even until today.

Iloilo City got around P200 million under these programs while the whole Western Visayas received more than P1.8 billion for COVID-response programs from DOLE.

Mayor Treñas echoed Baronda and thanked Tugade and Bello for their love and concern for the Ilonggos.

“We witness these Ilonggo beneficiaries to be given a chance to start over again and to see hope amidst these trying times. All these will not become possible without the love and concern of Secretary Bello and Secretary Tugade,” he said.

Gov. Defensor, meanwhile, credited Tugade for the airport and port projects of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in the province.

“Let me extend the thanks of the people of Iloilo. Salamat sa mga oras na ibinibigay ninyo at sa pag-asikaso sa mga port sa Iloilo. Salamat sa ating pagtutulungan at trabaho kasama ang CAAP at PPA. Pasalamatan din natin si President Rodrigo Duterte sa mga proyekto na dumaan sa mga opisina nina Secretary Tugade at Secretary Bello,” Defensor said.

Present to receive the DOLE and DOTr assistance were Reps. Michael Gorriceta (second district) and Janet Garin (first district), and Mayors Trixie Fernandez (San Enrique and LMP President), Jon Aying (Sara), Rema Somo (Sta. Barbara), James Esmeralda (Igbaras), Macario Napula (Miag-ao), Siegfredo Betita (Carles), Marina Gorriceta (San Miguel), and Laurence Gorriceta (Pavia).

The event was witnessed by some 1,500 beneficiaries under TUPAD, GIP and other recipients of the employment and transportation programs.

The DOTr distributed 25 electric tricycles or E-Trikes to the City Government ng Iloilo after Tugade inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Iloilo City Lone District Representative Julienne “Jam” Baronda and Mayor Jerry Treñas.

“Layon ng turn over na ito na mas maraming tao ang makabiyahe at makapunta sa kanilang trabaho, hindi lamang sa pamamagitan ng mga pampublikong transportasyon. Makatutulong din ito sa pagtitiyak ng kalusugan at kaligtasan ng mga road users – ang mga siklista at riders, para sa kanilang biyahe at hanapbuhay,” said Tugade.

“Maganda ang pagkakumpuni, maganda ang pagkaayos. Ito ‘ho ay magagamit ninyo sa pagnenegosyo. Ito ay isang handog ng pagmamahal ng Kagawaran ng Transportasyon sa siyudad ng Iloilo, nang sa ganoon makatulong kami sa kagustuhan ng mga taong maghanap-buhay at umangat ang kanilang buhay,” he added.

Iloilo will also be the first local government unit outside NCR to have a cashless bus payment system.

The cashless bus will have routes which include the Iloilo-Caticlan, Roxas and Kalibo.

Some 38 beneficiaries got bicycles under the Bikecination Livelihood Projects and free cellphone loads while 75 individuals benefited from “Trisikad” Project of the DOLE.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) distributed checks for 40 beneficiaries under “Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Program,” Education for Development Scholarship Program and 17 beneficiaries under “TABANG OFW” program.

Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon attended the event along with City Councilors Love Baronda, Ely Estante, Irene Ong, Rudolph Ganzon, Alan Zaldivar, Frances Parcon and  Rommel Duron. Raisa Treñas of Uswag Ilonggo and Dr. Urminico Baronda Jr. joined them as well as Office of the Civil Defense Regional Director Jose Roberto Nuñez.

DOLE Usec. Renato L. Ebarle, Usec. Benjo Santos Benavidez, Director Venus Apas, OWWA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac, POEA Administrator Bernard P. Olalia, Dir. Karen P. Trayvilla, and Dir. Rolly M. Francia. DOLE Regional Director Sixtro Rodriguez, OWWA Regional Head Rizza Moldes, and former RD Cyril Ticao attended the event.

DOTr Usec. Giovanni Lopez, Usec.  Steve Pastor, LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III, CAAP Director General Jim Sydiongco, Asec. Edgar Galvante, PPA General Manager Jay Santiago were also present together with LTO Regional Director Eric Lenard Tabaldo, and LTFRB Regional Director Richard Osmeña.

After the distribution of various livelihood programs, Tugade and Bello proceeded to inaugurate the new P50-million Philippine Coast Guard District Western Visayas Headquarters in Bo. Obrero, Lapuz. (Photos courtesy of Jade Dequina)