About 1,300 residents of Barangay Bagong Pag-asa in Quezon City received rice assistance on Wednesday as part of a government initiative aimed at supporting vulnerable households amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
The distribution, held at the Bagong Pag-asa Covered Court, was led by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos under the “Mula sa Puso Para sa Pamilya” program, which seeks to provide food assistance to families in need.
Speaking before beneficiaries, Araneta-Marcos emphasized the importance of ensuring that families have access to basic food needs, saying the initiative reflects the administration’s focus on household welfare.
“Ako naman bilang ina, mahalaga sa atin na mayroong makain sa lamesa,” she said.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, who joined the activity, said the program is funded through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) and involves direct procurement of rice from local farmers. She said around 210,000 families in the city are expected to receive 10 kilograms each under a four-tranche rollout.
“This is the second tranche, with two more to follow. We thank the President through the First Lady for this program,” Belmonte said.
Barangay officials said the distribution in Bagong Pag-asa forms part of a wider rollout expected to cover about a quarter of households in Quezon City.
Residents expressed gratitude for the assistance, saying it helps ease daily expenses and provides relief amid economic challenges.
Cayetano Arellano, 75, said the aid helps supplement household needs while also allowing residents to feel government presence in their community.
Another beneficiary, Marietta Palafox Sumagac, 70, said while the assistance is helpful, more focus on job creation is needed to address long-term needs.
The distribution is part of a weeklong series of Metro Manila outreach activities under the government’s ongoing food assistance program.