TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Rep, Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang was able to source out from various government agencies some P83 million to sustain the implementation of social programs benefiting the people of the province for the year.
Mangaoang, who chairs the House committee on national cultural minorities and indigenous peoples (IPs), disclosed that the funds had been equitably distributed to the concerned government agencies to sustain the provision of appropriate assistance to the people that heed the said aid for them to be able to cope with the heavy impact inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially to their employment, economic activities and other sources of livelihood.
The biggest chunk of the sourced-out fund amounting to P31 million is lodged with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to continue the implementation of the government internship program (GIP) and the Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.
Further, some P27 million was sourced by the lawmaker from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the regular Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) for the people coming from the province’s 7 towns and 1 city.
On the other hand, some P22 million was made available by the Department of Health (DOH) for the government’s medical assistance for indigent patients (MAIP) to cater to the health and other medical needs of the people.
Among the health facilities where the funds had been allocated by Congressman Mangaoang include the Kalinga Provincial Hospital, Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC), Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Training Institute, Philippine general Hospital and Lung Center of the Philippines.
Mangaoang stipulated that some P3 million was also made available by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for the special training for employment program where individuals interested to undergo skills training for them to have gainful employment can avail of the same.
He expressed his gratitude to the officials of the various agencies for allowing the allocation of the said funding support to the people of Kalinga as the same will definitely play a significant role in reducing the burden of people in seeking for assistance to be able to avail of the various social programs of the government.
He hopes that the funds will be able to be used up by the end of the year so that there will be another wave of funds that will be lodged with the concerned government agencies by next year once President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will be able to sign into the law the P5.26 trillion national budget before the end of the year.
He admitted that numerous people are visiting his office daily to seek available assistance for their various needs that is why he requested the heads of the said offices to consider increasing the allocation for his social programs so that more people will be able to benefit from the same during the year where the funds are readily available.