More indigent Zamboangueños get cash aid

NEARLY 1,400 poor residents in the west coast received financial aid from Zamboanga Mayor Beng Climaco, who led social workers in the distribution of assistance in an effort to help the families this time of the health crisis.

 

Mayor Beng Climaco during the distribution of financial aid to poor residents of Zamboanga City.

The cash aid is part of the Local Social Amelioration Program (LSAP) of the Climaco administration to help poor families cope with the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Esta asistencia es parte de nuestro programa: sanar a los enfermos y alimentar a los hambrientos, y ayudar a los pobres en este momento de la pandemia,” (This assistance is part of our program - to heal and the sick and feed the hungry, and help the poor in this time of the pandemic) she told the beneficiaries of the pro-poor program. 

The cash distribution was held in Barangays Cawit, Ayala and Labuan. 

Since last year, Climaco made sure that poor Zamboangueños will continue to benefit from the LSAP, which covers not only those severely affected by the pandemic, but also senior citizens who get P6,000 each from the program on top of other benefits such as birthday cash gift, among others; and people who recovered from Covid-19 also get as much as P5,000 for severe infection and P3,000 for moderate or mild infection.

The cash aid covers only those who were infected with the Covid-19 starting June 1, 2021, as the 2021 Supplemental Budget 1, where the funds are taken, was approved only last June. The LSAP rollout for Covid-19 survivors started in August.

Climaco, now in her third and last term, said the financial aid to the vulnerable sectors is intended to help alleviate their plight. “The financial aid we are giving to the people is also the people’s money, thus it should go back to the people in the form of financial assistance and projects and programs aimed at improving their welfare, their lives,” Climaco, who is running for congresswoman in District 1 in the May election.

The distribution of cash aid is being facilitated by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) with paymasters from the City Treasurer’s Office. LSAP covers different sectors affected by the pandemic - from the indigent to people with disabilities – with each receiving P1,500.

The CSWDO said indigent residents can go to the CSWDO field office and register to be able to benefit from the LSAP, which has already helped a huge number of the indigent population. (Zamboanga Post)