Poverty Alleviation, Social Welfare Development Programs Advance

Gov. Florencio T. Miraflores, in his State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered during the 4th Regular Session of the 16th Sangguniang Panlalawigan on February 5, 2014, underscored the various laudable poverty alleviation and social welfare programs the social welfare agencies in the province implemented.

Miraflores reported that the Pantawid Pampamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) has already covered 26,485 households in Aklan as of 2013 with a total cash grant releases of P356.317 million intended for health and education of children of poor families.

Under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), covered are 4,255 beneficiaries at a cost of P20.9 million.  In the towns of Libacao and Madalag alone, 6,172 beneficiaries are already covered with total disbursements of P26.6 million under the KALAHI-CIDSS of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Miraflores said.

The Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) which randomly covers the towns of Batan, Ibajay, Makato, New Washington and Tangalan with its sub-projects will benefit 19,795 beneficiaries at a cost of P49.5 million.

In the Elderly Week Celebration last year, families of senior citizens who died received a total of P110,000 burial assistance, the different able citizens availed of medicine and hospitalization financial assistance of P1 million worth of Provincial Disable Affairs Office building.

Under the indigency program of the Office of the Provincial Governor, last year, a total of 2,132 indigent Aklanons confined at the provincial hospital availed of financial assistance worth P3.74 million.

The Office of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development served a total of 82,350 families in the aftermath of super typhoon “Yolanda” whose dwellings had been totally or partially damaged.

Some 450 day care workers in Aklan had availed of cash incentives worth P1.3 million in 2013.

Miraflores said that Aklan will continue to maintain the Comprehensive Center for Women, Crisis Intervention and Child Protection Units and Social Welfare Desks.   He also reported the near completion of the construction of the Aklan Youth Center building. /MP