On FPJ’s 82nd birthday, Poe recalls ‘Da King’s’ ‘unwavering spirit’ to aid poor and helpless 

Fernando Poe Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — A number of drivers, displaced workers, and frontliners, among others, received cash and in-kind assistance as Senator Grace Poe remembered her late father Fernando Poe Jr.’s (FPJ) 82nd birth anniversary.

According to Poe, her father, who was born on August 20, 1939, always stressed the importance of extending “a helping hand to pull our kababayans out of difficult situations.”

“It is FPJ’s unwavering spirit to timely assist the poor and helpless which empowers me to continue the tradition he started for the masa he loved and who loved him back,” Poe said in a statement.

Under the FPJ-inspired ‘Panday Bayanihan’, drivers, displaced workers, farmers, fishermen, disaster-affected poor residents and frontliners received cash and in-kind assistance to help them amid the pandemic.

Panday Bayanihan is the relief initiative that was mobilized by the senator and FPJ’s friends and supporters to extend aid to vulnerable sectors across the country.

Earlier this month, Poe visited her father’s hometown in Pangasinan and distributed relief goods to around 2,000 community frontliners, including barangay tanods (watchmen).

Known as “The King of Philippine Movies” or simply  “Da King,” FPJ was given the National Artist distinction for Film posthumously for his remarkable contributions as an actor, director, writer, and producer.

The country’s longest-running action drama television series ‘FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano’ is based on FPJ’s well-loved 1997 film.  — McKenzie Kinsella, trainee