Capitol allots P150 million for social amelioration program

Governor Arthur Yap said that the Capitol is allocating P150 million for food aid as part of a P700-million stimulus package to feed those affected by the government’s measures against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID) 2019 and maintain livelihood for families in the province.

Yap, in a press briefing at the Capitol on Wednesday, said that the P150 million will be divided into P-500 food vouchers for 300,000 households.

“Kitang mga Bol-anon of course masakitan ta kung naa tay makit-an na mga kaigusonan nato na nasud sa kalisod and right now nangayo, namarayg sa ato og tabang para nila that’s why we are releasing our own social amelioration program,” he said.

The food vouchers may be used to acquire the following:

1 pack pack of brown sugar (500 grams)
2 packs of bihon (227 grams) or 1 pack of monggo (500 grams)
Half dozen brown eggs (medium)
Fresh frozen chicke recado pack (1 kilo)
5 packs of Alaska filled milk (33 grams)
5 pcs of Energen choco or vanilla (40 grams)
5 cans of sardines (155 grams per can)
3 cans of beef loaf (150 grams)
5 pcs of Kopiko brown creamed coffee (55 grams)
2 packs of soy sauce (200 ml)
1 pack cooking oil
1 bar of detergent bar

According to Yap, mayors across the province have been tasked to come up with lists of recipients of the food vouchers.

“We will coordinate with the distribution of the P150 million food vouchers to every bol-anon family…The timing of the distribution is being discussed right now with our mayors,” he said.

The Capitol devised the measure after some residents in the province were not able to benefit from the Department of Social and Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) social amelioration program.

Yap explained that the DSWD based its list of recipients on a 2015 data which he said was “not sufficient.”

Meanwhile, the about P700-million budget which was dubbed as the Bohol “We Survive as One” fund will be used to finance barangay projects particularly those that would promote food security and as surety for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Yap said that P200 million will be allocated for MSMEs, P110 million for the barangays and P150 million for agriculture and fisheries projects.

The surety program will provide loans of up P5,000 each for the 40,000 MSMEs in the province.

Interest rate for the loan is capped at 8 percent per annum, or less than 1 percent per month.

“Right now we have about 40,000 MSME members in Bohol that have a problem with their funds but ilaha ng gipata na sa work from home daghan ilang mahimo there are so many work from home projects food processing sausage meeting, processing meat products, repair of bags, of shoes, tailoring and handicraft projects,” Yap said.

According to Yap, the Capitol has also earmarked P50 million to assist Boholanos who are stranded and identified as displaced workers in other parts of the country.

The province of Bohol continues to be on an enhanced community quarantine which has barred travel into the province and shut down the operations of non-essential businesses.

It was supposed to last until April 12 but Yap through Executive Order No. 22 which he signed on Wednesday extended the measure’s implementation until April 30.