More than 2,600 Valenzuela City residents, many of them from vulnerable sectors, received 10 kilos of rice each on Tuesday under the government’s “Mula sa Puso Para sa Pamilya” program led by the Office of the First Lady.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, represented First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos during the distribution activity, which benefited 2,645 residents.
The beneficiaries included senior citizens, persons with disability, and members of the Pederasyon ng mga Samahan para sa Pabahay at Kaunlaran sa Valenzuela, or PESAPakava.
Two more batches of rice distribution are scheduled in the coming weeks to ensure that beneficiaries from all 33 barangays in Valenzuela City receive assistance.
Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the First Lady for launching the “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” initiative under the “Mula sa Puso Para sa Pamilya” program, saying it provides meaningful assistance and relief to vulnerable families struggling with the rising cost of basic commodities.
The rice aid was funded through the Local Government Support Fund, with the Valenzuela City government purchasing the rice directly from local farmers to support both consumers and agricultural producers.
Aside from the rice distribution, additional sacks of rice, rice cookers, gift checks worth P2,500 each, televisions, and digital boxes were raffled off during the event.
The “Mula sa Puso Para sa Pamilya” program was launched last week, benefiting more than 6,000 persons from Quezon City and Manila.
The program is set to expand to the Visayas this week.