MALAYBALAY CITY (April 8) – The Provincial Government of Bukidnon (PGB) has released the entire food and cash aid to beneficiaries from the province’s 20 towns and two cities amid coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 Pandemic).

Mr. Hansel Echavez, supervising administrative officer of capitol’s Public Affairs and Information Assistance (PAIA) in a statement on April 7, confirmed that the PGB has released on April 2, the total balance of the food and cash aid to all towns and two cities.

The province of Bukidnon has been declared under General Community Quarantine through and Executive Order issued by Gov. Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. on March 17 to “prevent the spread and contain the transmission” of COVID-19. On the same day, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Bukidnon declared Bukidnon under the State of Calamity.

Previously, Gov. Zubiri said the PGB has allocated a total of P700 million for the food assistance to 100,000 identified “poorest among the poor families” and those affected by ‘no work, no pay” scheme in the province. The PGB had initially released the food assistance to some towns in the province.

Each family beneficiary was given a sack of rice and assorted canned goods worth P6,250.

However, in the last meeting with some mayors, local government units urged the Governor to double the number of the beneficiaries, or from 100,000 families to 200,000 families.

Zubiri lastly decided to divide the P6,250 allocation per family of food assistance or cash aid into two and ordered the mayors to release it to the beneficiaries.

Of the province’s 20 towns and two cities, eight of them were given cash aid instead of food aid and use it to buy food assistance to be given to the beneficiaries in their respective barangays.

These are the towns of Baungon, Libona, Malitbog, Manolo Fortich, Sumilao, Talakag, and the cities of Malaybalay and Valencia.

Echavez clarified lately that “generally, the poorest among the poor and poor families in Bukidnon (specifically those listed at the city/town Social Development Office) are given priority to receive the assistance coming from the provincial government not only the “no work no pay” workers as previously reported in this paper.

He also clarified that Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), MCCT-IPs, UCT, and those who are receiving a social pension are not included in the program because they are already receiving assistance from the national government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Office.