Friday, January 11, 2008 Palace extends P1.5M gift package to Sarangani's poor
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Some 5,900 poor families in Sarangani province on Friday received a belated Christmas gift, worth P250 each or nearly P1.5 million all, from Malacanang, officials said.
Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral went to the neighboring capital town of Alabel to distribute the gift package, which includes two kilos of rice and other foodstuff, under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's "Pamaskong Handog" program.
In Alabel alone, some 842 families benefited from gift giving, according to municipal social welfare and development officer Lerma Wabinga.
Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez and Alabel Mayor Corazon Grafilo assisted Cabral in distributing the gift packages.
She also handed certificates to accredited Tindahan Natin outlets in the province.
The government, in a bid to ease hunger and poverty among the poorest of the poor, has launched the Tindahan Natin project "that hopes to provide low-priced but good quality rice and noodles through a store jointly identified and endorsed by the local social welfare and development office, Barangay Council, and the National Food Authority (NFA)."
In addition to gift giving, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) also distributed certificates of training to at least 25 participants who have finished the short course on "Galing Masahista Ako," said Flora Fulguerinas, a vocational supervising specialist. (BSS)
