To ensure that the Aetas of Porac, Pampanga will no longer go to the cities to beg during the Christmas season, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian distributed 60 carabaos, 30 garetas (carabao-drawn carts), and other farm implements as part of the livelihood support for the indigenous people.
Marcos and Gatchalian visited the Aeta community in Katutubo Village, Barangay Planas in Porac town on Friday, where they also distributed a PHP10,000 cash assistance to augment their daily needs.
Through the Pag-abot Program, the Aetas were reached out from the streets of San Fernando City in Pampanga and were later reintegrated into their respective sitios in Porac.
Speaking before the 127 Aeta beneficiaries of the DSWD’s Pag-abot Program, Marcos stressed the importance of the Aeta community’s participation in the agricultural sector.
“Iyong sinasaka ninyo, ‘yung tinatanim ninyo, ‘yung inaani ninyo ay kasama po ‘yan sa pagpakain ng lahat ng mga Pilipino. Kaya napakahalaga ng inyong sektor ng agrikultura at kailangan na kailangan, lalong-lalo na dahil dito medyo bago-bago pa itong komunidad ay bigyan po natin – bibigyan po natin lahat ng tulong upang makaahon, upang makapagkaroon ng mga simple lang na hanapbuhay at makatulong pati sa progreso sa ating minamahal na Pilipinas (Your produce is part of the food for all Filipinos. The agriculture sector is very important, and because your community is quite new, we will provide you with all the support to have a simple livelihood for you to also contribute to the progress of our beloved Philippines),” the President said in his message.
Rambo Mañalac Serrano, one of the Aeta beneficiaries, said he would use the DSWD assistance provided to his family to plant root crops.
“Yung ibibigay pong kalabaw po, gagamitin namin na pang-araro para mayroon panghanapbuhay kaming pamilya. Kung may kalabaw na po kami, pwede na po kaming magtanim ng mga kamoteng kahoy, para hindi na po kami naglalakad (The carabao to be given to us will be used for tilling for us to have a livelihood. If we already have a carabao, we can plant cassava and we don’t have to roam around),” a smiling Rambo said.
The Aeta member also thanked the Marcos administration for the support given to their community members.
“Maraming salamat po sa DSWD at kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos (Thank you very much to the DSWD and President Marcos),” Rambo happily said.
The Pag-abot Program offers short-term and long-term interventions for families and individuals in street situations (FISS) to get them off the streets and help them lead sustained and dignified lives.
The Aetas are among the sectors that the Pag-abot Program endeavors to reach out.
They are known as one of the Indigenous Peoples groups who often go to urban centers, especially during the holiday season, to beg and solicit money.
Gatchalian explained that the department has been reaching out directly to communities that often travel to Metro Manila, especially during the holidays.
Through the Pag-abot Program, complemented by other programs of the DSWD, the agency has provided carabaos and farming tools to the Aeta communities.
“That’s why nag-aakyat kami ng mga kalabaw, mga ibang farming inputs ngayon sa Pampanga and Tarlac in these Aeta communities to make sure na preemptive. Wag na po kayong bumaba during Christmas, doon na tayo maghanap-buhay (That’s why we are bringing carabaos and other farming inputs to Aeta communities in Pampanga and Tarlac to make sure that it’s preemptive so they just work here and don’t go to the cities anymore during Christmas),” Gatchalian said in an interview with reporters.
He said similar efforts are underway for the Badjao communities in Zamboanga, noting that the DSWD is intensifying interventions ahead of December, when syndicates typically operate.
“That’s what we’re also planning to do – we’re doing it already in Zamboanga, and we’re intensifying it because there are really syndicated groups that operate during this season. But we’ll try to do the preventive and the proactive step before December strikes,” Gatchalian said. (PNA)
