Bukidnon shells out P1B to aid 200,000 families

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –– Bukidnon province is shelling out a billion pesos to spend mainly for aiding some 200,000 families in their food and other essential needs while they go through community quarantine.

Governor Jose Maria Zubiri, in a statement, said the original target for assistance was 100,000 poor families for which the provincial government allowed P700 million.

Zubiri said the province’s component 20 municipalities and two cities committed to shell out a total of P350 million to match that of the provincial government.

This allows for doubling the target beneficiaries of the food assistance program.

Zubiri assured the people the provincial government would distribute them food aid and other essential needs, to compensate for their lost livelihood and income.

Zubiri has placed the province under community quarantine on March 17.

He ordered stricter measures imposed from April 13 to 26 following the confirmation of one new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection in Valencia City last April 9.

These include the closure of non-essential businesses, the temporary shutdown of agribusiness firms from April 13 to 20, and the non-entry of nonresidents into the province.

Last month, Zubiri ordered the stocking up of 100,00 bags of rice to prepare for the possibility of the provincial government providing food handouts to poor families when more stringent quarantine measures would be required.

To complete his target volume of rice buffer, Zubiri stopped the outflow of rice from the province, lifting the order when he was able to get supply commitments from local traders.

LZB