By Lane Afable, News Editor
Ordinary workers in Manila have welcomed the “Biyayang Bigas para sa Maynila” Program being spearheaded by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as it offers relief for families grappling with the effects of the Middle East conflict.
Anthony Acain, 19, a promodiser at SM City Manila’s sales department, is thankful that the President, in cooperation with the city government of Manila, launched the program aimed at helping ordinary laborers.
“Ramdam namin ang hirap kasi halos lahat tumaas, kagaya ng pagkain,” said Acain, who resides in Monumento, Caloocan City.
“Salamat po kasi kahit papaano nakakatulong sa pang araw-araw na paghahanapbuhay namin, saka sa pagkain.”
He wishes the President would find ways to stabilize the prices of basic commodities and uplift the lives of common workers.
Another SM worker, Maria Fe Redivalte of Old Sta Mesa, Manila, said the program offers relief in making ends meet especially in these most trying times as a result of the present energy crisis.
“Malaking tulong po sa amin ang ayudang ito. Maraming salamat po kay Pangulong BBM at kay Mayor Isko Moreno,” she said.
At the rice handover event on Thursday for the Biyayang Bigas at SM City Manila, President Marcos expressed hope to eradicate hunger in the country within his term through such an initiative, as he recognized the LGUs’ vital role in implementing the program.
“Sabi ko, ‘sana pagbaba ko bilang Pangulo ay masasabi ko na wala nang gutom na Pilipino.’ Kaya po aming ginagawa, patuloy na ginagawa ito,” President Marcos said.
“Ito po ang simula. Kagaya ng sabi ko, nauna ang Maynila. Ngunit patuloy po ito at saka buong bansa ay mabibigyan natin.”
The “Biyayang Bigas para sa Maynila” program is a presidential initiative under the Marcos administration that provides rice subsidies to workers in the City of Manila.
It aims to provide immediate food relief to families in the city amid ongoing economic pressures as a result of the tensions in the Middle East, while simultaneously supporting local farmers.
To fund the program, the Office of the President released P286,000,000 to the city government of Manila through the Financial Assistance to Local Government Units (FALGU) program.
Proponents hope that through the program, they could ease food costs for approximately 80,000 Manila families, as the initiative frees household income from other essential needs.
