MANILA, Philippines — Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. has thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for continuing to visit provinces to hand assistance to farmers and other sectors, even if it is not for a political campaign.
Gonzales, who represents the 3rd District of Pampanga, said on Friday that what Marcos is doing is a campaign to better the lives of agricultural sector workers.
Marcos attended three events on Friday, including two separate distributions of cash aid and other modes of assistance to farmers and fisherfolk from Aurora and Pampanga, to help workers recover from the El Niño phenomenon’s effects.
“Mr. President, nagpapasalamat po kami na this is not a political campaign, ang sabi nga po ang aking Speaker, Speaker Martin Romualdez […] this is not a campaign, but this is a campaign para sa ating mga magsasaka kung paano maiangat ang kanilang kabuhayan,” Gonzales said in his speech before Marcos was introduced to the people in San Fernando, Pampanga.
(Mr. President, we thank you as this is not a political campaign, like what Speaker Martin Romualdez said […] this is not a campaign, but this is a campaign for our farmers to improve the state of their livelihood.)
“Kampanya [ito] para [sa pagtatapos ng] sa kahirapan ng bawat Pilipino. Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas,” he added.
(This is a campaign to end the suffering of Filipinos. Long live the New Philippines.)
Gonzales, who previously attended other aid distribution programs like those under the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair, said that Mindanao-based governors have been amazed by how Marcos has brought government services closer to the people.
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“Ang sinasabi ng mga gobernador sa Mindanao, ang sinasabi po, ito lang ang pangulo na nilalapit niya ang mga national na tulong, ‘yong mga ayuda sa ating mga kababayan,” he said.
(Governors from Mindanao say that this is the only time they saw a President who has exerted effort to bring assistance like cash aid and services closer to the people.)
“Walang kalamidad, pero nandyan po ang ating pangulo, walang sawang tumutulong sa araw araw, sa pag-iikot niya. And I am witness to that,” he added.
(There’s no calamity, but the President is there, working tirelessly to help people when he visits different areas every day. And I am witness to that.)
Former president and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also thanked Marcos for helping not only her hometown but also the entire Central Luzon.
According to Arroyo, helping Central Luzon would go a long way because the products from the region will be sent to different parts of the country.
“Mahal na Pangulo, sa inyong permiso po, ako ay magpapasalamat hindi lamang sa ngalan ng mga kapwa ko Kapampangan, kung hindi na rin [para] sa mga buong Central Luzon, sa iyong tulong sa aming magsasaka,” she said.
(Dear President, with your permission, I would also like to thank you not only on behalf of Pampanga residents, but also on behalf of the entire Central Luzon, for helping our farmers.)
“Itong tulong po ninyo dito na dinala, pati na rin ‘yong inutos niyo na maglaan ng malaking pondo sa aming irrigation, ay ‘yon ay talagang makakatulong, hindi lamang po sa Central Luzon kung di na rin sa ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas dahil ang Central Luzon ay nagpapakain sa ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas. Halimbawa po sa Pampanga, ang aming rice self-sufficiency ay 160%, so 60% ng aming ani ay pinapadala sa NCR at ibang bahagi ng Luzon,” she added.
(The assistance you brought here today, including your directive to place a big fund for irrigation here, will help not only Central Luzon but other parts of the country because it is Central Luzon that provides food for other parts of the country. For example, in Pampanga, our rice self-sufficiency rate is at 160%, so the extra 60% is being brought to NCR and other parts of Luzon.)
Marcos led the distribution of P205.5 million worth of aid to Pampanga, which will benefit farmers and fisherfolk from the province and its neighbors Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Zambales. Aurora, on the other hand, got an aid worth P147.6 million.
Marcos said the assistance is given not only to help farmers and fisherfolk recover after the El Niño episode but also as recognition of their hard work.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) characterizes El Niño as the unusual rise in average sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, resulting in warmer waters.
READ: Stronger El Niño phenomenon in 2024 threatens 65 provinces — DOST
But aside from El Niño, Marcos also raised concerns over the possible effects of La Niña — the opposite of El Niño, where SSTs decrease, leading to a higher chance of stronger storms — as Pagasa sees a high probability of the phenomenon existing. — With reports from Moss Laygo, trainee
READ: Pagasa raises La Niña Watch as forecasts show early onset