LUNA, Apayao – The provincial government successfully disbursed PhP7.36 million in medical and burial assistance, benefitting 389 yApayaos through the Apayao Socio-Economic Efforts Necessary for Growth (ASENG) program in 2023.
In a report presented to Governor Elias C. Bulut on January 9, 2023, the ASENG Team highlighted that the allocated funds were utilized as follows: PhP4,740,607 for medical assistance and PhP2,620,000 for burial assistance.
Breaking down the medical assistance disbursement, Kabugao had the highest number of beneficiaries, providing aid to 72 individuals and totaling PhP1 million. Luna followed closely, extending assistance amounting to PhP888,000 to 38 residents, while Flora contributed PhP783,000 to support the health needs of its constituents. Conner, with 46 beneficiaries, received PhP621,000 in assistance. Santa Marcela and Pudtol saw aid distribution amounting to PhP614,000 and PhP438,507, respectively, benefiting 35 residents in the former and 18 in the latter.
As for the demographics of medical assistance recipients, the majority consisted of 69 Senior Citizens (SC), four Persons with Disability (PWD), three In School Youth (ISY), and 182 Family Heads and Other Needy Adults (FHONA), reaching a total of 258 individuals.
For burial assistance, Conner secured the lion’s share with PhP820,000 allocated to 41 residents. Following closely, Flora distributed PhP680,000 in financial assistance to 34 residents, while Kabugao extended PhP340,000 in aid to 17 beneficiaries. Pudtol saw 11 residents receiving a total of PhP220,000, while Luna and Santa Marcela each dispensed PhP240,000 to support the burial needs of 12 residents in their respective jurisdictions. Calanasan recorded the lowest disbursement, with only 4 residents receiving a total of PhP80,000 in burial assistance.
For the demographic breakdown of burial assistance recipients, 88 were FHONA, 35 were SC, 7 were ISC, and 1 belonged to Women in Especially Difficult Circumstances (WEDC), summing up to 131 individuals.
The effective implementation of Project ASENG’s financial assistance program has thus resulted in significant socio-economic support for the yApayaos, demonstrating the commitment of the provincial government to promoting growth and well-being in the province. By JCM