Press Release - PWDs, farmers among 1,850 Cagayano beneficiaries of livelihood aid from Cayetanos

"Malaking tulong po ito para sa pamilya at barangay namin dahil mabibigyan kami ng kabuhayan."

This is what Lovelyn Paeste, a resident of Lasam, Cagayan Valley, gratefully said after receiving livelihood assistance from the offices of Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano on Thursday, April 11, 2024.

Paeste is one of the 850 persons who received help from the senators in the municipality of Lasam. The beneficiaries included farm laborers, persons with disability (PWD), women's groups, and those engaged in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

This was made possible with the senators' partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region II through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

"Magpapatayo po kami ng kainan at talipapa. Maraming, maraming salamat po kila Senador Alan Peter at Pia Cayetano," Paeste said, who represented one of the five groups of beneficiaries of the SLP on Thursday.

Sheryl Mateo, a fish and meat vendor who is one of the AICS beneficiaries, said she will use the assistance for her small business.

"Nagpapasalamat po ako kina Senador Alan Peter Cayetano at Pia Cayetano dahil itong ibinigay nila ay pwede ko na pandagdag sa negosyo ko," Mateo said.

Orlino Cuaresma Jr., who is a PWD tricycle driver, echoed the gratitude expressed by the beneficiaries.

"Pinipilit ko pa rin pong mag trabaho para sa pamilya ko. Kaya nagpapasalamat po ako sa tumutulong sa programang ito, lalo na kay Mayor Agatep at kila Sen. Alan at Pia Cayetano. Maraming salamat po," Cuaresma said.

The successful disbursement was done at the Natalged Arena in Lasam with the help of Lasam Mayor Dante Dexter Agatep, Councilor Lilybeth Del Rosario, DSWD Region II SLP Referral Program Officer Noel Domingo, and MSWD Head of Lasam LGU Nenita Macaspac.

The next day, April 12, the senators' teams visited the province's capital city Tuguegarao to provide livelihood assistance to a thousand ambulant vendors at the Cagayan State University Andrews Campus.

This was done in partnership with DSWD Region II-AICS Program and in coordination with Cagayan Valley 3rd District Representative Joseph