All 367 barangays of Palawan will receive financial aid amounting to more than P110M or P300K each as assistance to their defense and responsive measure against COVID-19 giving the need to consider the uptick cases of the Omicron variant in the country.
All 367 barangays will receive P300K each coming from the Palawan Provincial Government as support to the said necessary need and for residents within their community who are also victims of the recent typhoon Odette.
This was made possible through the initiative of the Liga Ng Mga Barangay sa Palawan, spearheaded by ABC President Board Member Ferdinand “Inan” Zaballa who amended former resolutions in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan following how he witnessed the catastrophe and disaster brought by the typhoon Odette in the province.
The Palawan Liga also tied up with the Provincial Health Office (PHO) represented by Dr. Faye Labrador, to ensure that a portion of the P300K financial aid for each barangay will be allocated for their vaccination programs.
“Nakita natin kung gaano na-apektuhan ang Palawan sa nagdaang bagyo. May COVID pa at present. Originally ang measure na ito kasi nag-start noong 2017 pa. Nagbibigay na talaga ang provincial government intended for the barangays, kaso P1K per barangay lang. I tried to work it out during my term, awa ng Diyos, sa tulong na din ng ating mga kasamahan sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan at ni Governor JCA, ‘yung P1K assistance sa mga barangay eh naging P100K na per year,” Zaballa said.
“Inaasahan natin na mapupunta ito sa mga aktibidad at tulong para sa mga nasalanta sa mga barangay, maging sa bakuna programs na kinakailangan dahil sa tumataas na kaso na naman ng COVID-19 lalo na ngayon na talamak na rin ang Omicron sa bansa,” he added.
For 2021, each barangay in Palawan was supposed to receive P100K each and for this year, they are also set to get an additional P200K which composes the total of P300K.
In his privilege speech during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Tuesday, January 4, Zaballa said that the P300K financial aid would be intended for certain barangay operations for disasters, and preventive measures in terms of disaster and the continuous battle against COVID-19.
Furthermore, Zaballa also announced that through Governor JCA’s order to expedite the budget process, the said financial aid would be tentatively released to all barangays within this year’s first quarter.
“Pinapamadali na natin ‘yan. Tentatively by next month or sa March ma-release na kasi nag-order na rin ang ating gobernador na i-expedite na ‘yung processing,” Zaballa said.
Zaballa expressed his gratitude towards Governor JCA along with his colleagues in Palawan’s Legislative Division.
“Malaki ang pasasalamat ng Liga sa ating Governor JCA maging sa aking mga kasamahan sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan – Vice Governor Dennis Socrates and BM Onsoy Ola para sa kanilang pag-sang ayon na ma-amyendahan natin ang resolusyon upang madagdagan ang pondo ng ating mga barangay sa Palawan,” Zaballa said.