THE FPJ Panday Bayanihan has partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and provided financial assistance to poor farmers and their families from La Trinidad, Benguet.
This was learned after some 500 farmer-beneficiaries received Php2,000 each under DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program in a series of payouts held at DSWD’s office in Baguio City last September 11, 18 and 25, and October 2, 9 and 26, 2021.
Sen. Grace Poe, who has been teaming up with the FPJ Panday Bayanihan since 2013, said the recipients came from Barangays Ambiong, Beckel, Alno, Tawang, Alapang, Bahong, Shilan, Cruz, Lubas, Wangal, Pico, Pugius and Poblacion in La Trinidad.
The farmer-beneficiaries were identified through the office of La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda.
“Hindi po malaking halaga pero kahit paano ay makakatulong sa kanilang pangangailangan. Ang FPJ Panday Bayanihan, katuwang po ang inyong lingkod, ay direktang naghahatid ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan sa panahon ng kagipitan tulad ngayon na may pandemya,” Poe said in a statement.
AICS is a social amelioration program, which intends to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19. It’s the first government pandemic response program participated by the FPJ Panday Bayanihan
“Iyun pong kinikita nila sa pagtatanim ng mga gulay ay talaga kapos, lalo na ngayong pandemya na mahina ang benta. Nakita po ng FPJ Panday Bayanihan na hirap talaga ang kalagayan kaya inilagay sila sa AICS,” Poe said.
Adding distress to the farmers, recently, floodwaters had submerged hectares of vegetable gardens in La Trinidad due to tropical storm “Maring.”
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the FPJ Panday Bayanihan and Poe have been helping the people across the country by giving them relief goods and personal protective equipment against COVID-19.
Inspired by the senator’s late father Fernando Poe Jr.’s famous movie series “Ang Panday,” the FPJ Panday Bayanihan has started its relief operations in 2013 when typhoon “Maring” hit the country and continues since then to assist calamity-stricken families like the victims of super typhoon “Yolanda”, Marawi siege, and last year’s Taal volcano eruption, among others.
Panday (blacksmith) means “to forge or build” and Bayanihan refers to the spirit of community action inherent among Filipinos.
The goal of the FPJ Panday Bayanihan is to build the spirit of Bayanihan among Filipinos and to channel it towards those in need.