VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) delivered financial aid amounting to P5 million for the victims of Typhoon Egay in the province.

The distribution was led by Senator Jinggoy Estrada and held at the Provincial Farmers Livelihood Development Center in this city on Thursday, August 3.
 
Some 1,000 typhoon-affected families from the municipalities of Santo Domingo, San Vicente, San Ildefonso, and Bantay, with 250 beneficiaries each, received P5,000 through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program of the DSWD.
 
According to Rosita Corpuz, 89-year-old resident of Barangay Pussuak, Santo Domingo and one of the beneficiaries, “Malaking tulong ito para sa aming mga binaha at nabagyo kaya nagpapasalamat kami sa gobyerno natin at kay senador. Ibibili po namin ito ng mga kagamitan na inanod ng baha, at ng mga nasirang gamit.”

Lorenzo De Peralta, a beneficiary from Bantay town, also expressed his gratitude to the senator and the DSWD, sharing that he will use the assistance for his family.
 
Meanwhile, Senator Estrada donated P10 million to the provincial government of Ilocos Sur which is intended for the Ilocos Sur Provincial Hospital – Gabriela Silang “to make all the medical needs of Ilocanos free.”
 
He mentioned, “Noong una kong nabalitaan na ang Ilocos Sur ay tinamaan ng Bagyong Egay, hindi po tayo nagdalawang isip na unahin ang probinsya ng Ilocos Sur. Nakita ko po mismo sa telebisyon, at narinig ko sa mga himpilan ng radyo  na talagang marami pong mga pamilya, mga residente ng Ilocos Sur o Vigan ang talagang naapektuhan.”
 
“Dali-dali po nating inutusan ang ating mga kawani sa Senado upang makapagbigay ng kaunting ayuda sa pamamagitan ng AICS ng DSWD, at nakakuha po tayo ng kaukulang pondo para maipamahagi po dito sa lalawigan ng Ilocos Sur,” said Estrada.
 
Provincial Governor Jeremias Singson thanked the senator and acknowledged that he is the first senator to personally check on the state of the province after the devastating typhoon.
 

Senator Estrada, along with former governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, Governor Singson, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and other government employees, also visited Barangay San Pedro and Barangay Nanguneg West, both in Narvacan, on the same date via a rubber boat.
 
Estrada also led the distribution of P5,000 cash each to 850 beneficiaries in Brgy. San Pedro and 237 in Brgy. Nanguneg under the DSWD-AICS.
 
Moreover, former governor Singson donated P500,000 each for the two barangays. (JCR/AMB/ATV/VWJCT, PIA Ilocos Sur)