AKO Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co over the weekend said the 19th Congress will put premium in helping and uplifting the plight of the poor. Co, who is the chairperson of the House committee on appropriations, said billions of pesos have been allocated in the 2023 national budget for the pro-poor programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), at Department of Health (DOH).
He said the funds have been incorporated into the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the DSWD, the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) of DOLE, and the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP) of the DOH.
“Pagbukas pa lang ng 19th Congress last July, sinabi na sa akin ni Speaker Romualdez na tutukan ang pag-ahon ng mga mahihirap na kababayan dahil ito nga din ang gusto ng Marcos administration (Speaker [Martin] Romualdez has instructed me at the start of the 19th Congress last July to focus on helping the poor, which is one of the priorities of the Marcos administration),” Co said.
“For this reason, ilang bilyon ang ipinalaan ni Speaker Romualdez sa 2023 national budget para sa social services ng (billions of pesos were ordered set aside by Speaker Romualdez in the 2023 national budget for the social services of the) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), at Department of Health (DOH),” he added.
Co said the House leadership is mindful of the hardships that many Filipinos are experiencing due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. For the jobless, Co said they can avail of the available government assistance under the DOLE’s TUPAD, while those who need daily living assistance can go to the DSWS and apply for assistance under the AICS program.
Medical help, on the other hand, can be availed by indigent patients under the MAIP assistance of the DOH. “Speaker Romualdez wants this Congress to focus on the needs of our poor. Yung bang may malalapitan sila sa oras ng kanilang pangangailangan at mabibigyan talaga sila ng sapat na tulong ng gobyerno (He wants government to be ready to provide assistance to the needy 24 hours a day),” Co said.
