Labrador Mayor Cites P400-M Yearly Benefits for Hosting Nuke

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LABRADOR, Pangasinan – The mayor in this one of the poorest towns of Pangasinan cited the approximately P400 million a year business tax and other benefits incase its coastal municipality host a nuclear power plant proposed by the leadership of the country.

“Ito ginagawa ko lang dahil gusto kung umasenso rin ang buhay ng Labrador (I am doing this to make better the lives of the people of Labrador),” Mayor Ernesto Acain told Northern Watch Newspaper.

YES TO NUKE!: Top photo is  a picture of two nuclear power plants in Europe while photos below from left to right is Labrador, Pangasinan Mayor Ernesto Acain who advocates for a nuclear reactor in his fourth class town and Congress’s Committee on Nuclear Energy Chairman Pangasinan 2^nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco.

The newly elected Mayor explained how one thousand of his constituents would be employed at the initial construction of a 1,000 megawatt plant and the up to ten or fifteen thousand Labradorians and outsiders would be employed in the almost ten years’ construction of the expensive power facility but environmental friendly. A nuclear power plant does not emit carbon dioxide like coal power plants.

“A minimum of 1000 taga Labrador kung full blast 10,000 to 15,000 people and in business tax sabi ko sa kanila approximately P400 million a year. Saan natin kukunin ang (ganoong) pera?”

Acain assured land owners whose real properties will be expropriated by the operator of the nuclear reactor that they will be paid two-fold as compared to the average rate of just compensation given to other land owners in the country.

“Paano kung matatamaan ang lupa namin, sabi ko two times compensated may ilalagay sa resettlement halos lahat ng benepisyo nandoon kayo”.

 Acain said that in case a power plant is built in his town, the residents become recipients of the various programs mandated by the Energy Regulations No. 1-94 (ER 1-94) that falls under the Department of Energy Act of 1992 in conjunction with the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA).

ER-1-94 states that these communities will receive one centavo for every kilowatt-hour (P0.01/kWh) generated. These funds can be used by host beneficiaries for the electrification of areas or households that have no access to power and livelihood programs. This includes reforestation, watershed management, health, and environmental enhancement initiatives.

The mayor said the proponent wanted four nuclear power plants to be built in his town but he told them he would go for one in the meantime.

He said the hosting of the electricity behemoth would be safe to the lives and health of the 26,811 residents (2020 Census) as it is far to the earthquake fault line.

“Dito lang sa Labrador may dagat may beach may high elevation at may strong soil bearing capacity. At saka malayo ang fault line”.

The nuclear plant could produce more electricity despite it is only 1000 megawatt than the 1,200 megawatt of the Team Energy in the nearby Sual town. The Team Energy pays a business tax of more or less P200 million a year to the local government of Sual that becomes now one of the richest town in the country.

“Doon sa coal kasi 60 percent lang ang average output capacity. Pag nuclear 90 to 95 percent mas Malaki”

TIMELINE

The Mayor explained that it will take two to three years of planning, design, and the procurements of right of ways until the investor go for the construction there.

The different components of a nuclear power plant. Photo credit: Foronuclear.org

“It takes five to six years to construction time. Hindi na kami makikinabang. Baka hindi na kami mayor pag construction na”.

He rebutted those who oppose the bringing of cheap electricity through nuclear power plant in the country.

“Ngayon meron Bangladesh, South Korea, France meron sila. Na sasakripisyo ba nila ang tao?”

As of 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported there were 422 nuclear power reactors in operation in 32 countries around the world, and 57 nuclear power reactors under construction.

He said the United States alone has 92 nuclear reactors.

"There are 172 nuclear battleships 11 aircraft carriers sa U.S, kung andoon ang commander nila mga matataas na tao isang aircraft carrier katumbas iya ng isang 5,000 people isapapalaran mo ba ang navy mo mga tao mo? Natutulog sila katabi ang nuclear reactor".

He said he answered all the quiries of his constituents about their fear of nuclear meltdown.

He said the fear of the oppositions that incase war in China and the Philippines erupt the former will target the plant with her missiles and endanger the people in and out of this town thus they will be exposed to radiation.

He cited that China will not do it because she is a signatory of the Article of War in the United Nations.

The current war in Southern Ukraine against Russia saw the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station - that used to produce 20 percent of the power needs of Ukraine – was disabled and even used by the Russian soldiers as base because the Ukrainian military will not target it.

CHERNOBY AND FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS 

He cited that the error of the plant in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan ensued because it was built in a low elevation that was slammed by a bigger tsunami when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake rocked the area in March 11, 2011.

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Disaster. Photo credit: Storymaps.arcgis.com

News report said that a 17 meters (56 feet) high tsunami hit into the coastal plant, destroying its power supply and cooling systems and causing meltdowns at reactors Nos. 1, 2 and 3.

To see that the power plant in the Philippines will be safe to the people, the government should emulate the reactors in the United States and other countries that have containment vessels that are designed to withstand extreme weather events and earthquakes like in Fukushima.

Acain blamed human error of the Soviets to what happen at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Northern Ukraine.

According to World Nuclear Association. the Chernobyl accident in 1986 was the result of a flawed reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel. The resulting steam explosion and fires released at least 5% of the radioactive reactor core into the environment, with the deposition of radioactive materials in many parts of Europe. Two Chernobyl plant workers died due to the explosion on the night of the accident, and a further 28 people died within a few weeks as a result of acute radiation syndrome. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation has concluded that, apart from some 5000 thyroid cancers (resulting in 15 fatalities), "there is no evidence of a major public health impact attributable to radiation exposure 20 years after the accident." Some 350,000 people were evacuated as a result of the accident, but resettlement of areas from which people were relocated is ongoing.

“Ngayon na perpekto na nila iyon na kahit may singaw ma ku-contain na ng self-contained dome,” Acain refuted the disadvantages of hosting a nuclear reaction based on what happened in Ukraine.

The Mayor until now could not cite what foreign investor will build the one thousand megawatt power plant. He said however that delegates of a nuclear power plant in China visited lately the town.

 Committee on Nuclear Energy Chairman Pangasinan 2^nd District Congressman Mark Cojuangco was seen talking lately with the Japanese and American ambassadors in the country about the plan of the government to host nuclear reactor in the Philippines. Cojuangco is still deliberating in Congress the creation of the Philippine Atomic Regulatory Commission that will oversee construction of nuclear reactors in the Philippines.

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

The Lethal, Costly Weapons of a Cobra

MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

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I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.

Cong. No Longer as Clean as a Whistle

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

A Mayor who lost several times for being a vice mayor and a mayor told me that his present position is a financial liability than an asset.

He explained that when he aspired for the two highest posts in his town – winning some and losing some attempts – he spent a total of P200 million.

“The good thing is I have a personal lucrative business that funds my venture into politics,” he told me.

What the Hizzoner revealed to me is the reality in elective public office. If many elected officials amassed wealth because of the cut or S.O.P from contractors and suppliers to his or her office, other politicians became poor because they have to sell their properties to launch their campaign where they ingratiate to voters by giving them monies and goods.

The most moneyed in the ingratiation game usually win the election because the voters are no longer intelligent but susceptible to the glitters of silver (that ran, son of a gun, to P10,000 per head based on a small town in Pangasinan last election)

***

A Mayor who lost to a moneyed candidate but reclaimed it with a vengeance told me her expenses.

Noong una akong tumakbo kalaban ang last term na Mayor I spent P50 million. Noong nakalaban ko ang Vice Mayor ng mayor na tumalo sa akin, gumastos lang ako ng P12 million (the Veem is known as tightwad or maawet in Pangasinan). When she ran against her vice mayor who had no huge financial chest to sustain the expensive months long campaign season, she only chalked up P7 million. In her final campaign because that would be her third and last term she spent P14 million only. Because of over confidence that voters would be considerate in her last venture in that third term, she lost to a rival. As the very rich rival became unpopular among many electorates in that three years’ term, the former Herzzoner -known to be kind to her constituents - made a come-back and a vengeance with P40 million financial kitty and gobbled the incumbent Mayor in the last year’s election. 

*** 

 A contractor on government projects told me that a Congressman known for being incorruptible is now accepting cut from contractors and suppliers who engage business in his district.

“Why he is now accepting these S.O.Ps (euphemism for cut)?” I posed.

The contractor told me he needs them because he spent hundreds of millions of pesos in the last election.

“Besides he is no longer as rich as before when he was seen as a clean as a whistle public servant,” the contractor who asked in conditioned of anonymity told me.

Is this true, Cong?

(Send comments to totomortz@yahoo.com)

 

Binmaley Mayor Meets Pres. Marcos, Sec. Abalos

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Binmaley Mayor Pedro "Pete" Merrera III conversed with Philippines President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. about the mayor's contribution to the program of the national government during the Launching of Hapag Kay PBBM event held lately at the Rizal Park Open Auditorium in Manila.

Mayor Merrera's attendance showed his support to the governance and leadership of the President.

Binmaley Mayor Pete Merrera (2nd from left) compares note with Philippines President Bongbong Marcos (extreme left) and Department of Interior & Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos (3rd from left).

The Mayor is second cousin to Secretary Abalos.

“Kasi magpinsan ang mother ko at father niya (because my mother and his father are cousin),” the first term Mayor of the first class coastal town told Northern Watch Newspaper.

DILG is dubbed as one of the two most powerful departments of the national government because it controls the Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Local Government Academy, National Police Commission, National Youth Commission, Philippine National Police, Philippine Public Safety College and others.

Abalos, he said, told the crowd, the regional and provincial public officials during his town’s 433rd Foundation and Sigay Festival 2023 that he is the cousin of the mayor.

NEDA Visits Lingayen's LGU

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Asst. Secretary Greg L. Pineda (center, photo) and company visited Lingayen, Pangasinan recently for consultation visit on local supply chain that involves the local government unit (LGU) of the capital town.

The team was warmly welcomed by Mayor Leopoldo N. Bataoil (extreme left, photo), Vice-Mayor Mac Dexter Malicdem (extreme right, photo) and various department managers of the LGU. An on-site inspection was also done by the group to personally witness the local set-up of those concerned. (MIO/GcRueda/Cacondangan)

Dela Torre Cites Pareto Principle for Surplus Collection

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga – The chief of the huge revenue district office (RDO) here cited the Pareto Principle why she and her staff mustered to collect P11.039 billion in the year 2022.
“That was our strategy why we were able to get the goal na napakalaki and even exceeded our annual goal by mid November pa lang. We focused our close monitoring on big ticket taxpayers. We monitored the 20 percent of our taxpayers who contributed 80 percent of our collection. We call it the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 Rule,' declared to Northern Watch Newspaper by North Pampanga’s RDO Chief No. 21A Charmaine C. Dela Torre.

RDO No. 21A Chief Chum dela Torre (the only lady behind the banner) in a photo-op with members of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) in North Pampanga. Photo credit: PICPA-Pampanga

Her Examiners/ TAMP officers personally follow up everyone of these taxpayers before the due date by citing to them the estimated taxes they were going to pay so the taxpayer would feel the presence of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
“Sir magkano ang babayaran ninyong VAT (value added tax), or let’s say Withholding Tax this month? Ang binayaran ninyo last year po ganito, we hope that your taxes this month are higher than last year.”(retorted by the Examiner)," she quoted to this writer how the process worked in her office.

Dela Torre explained that before they shell-out their dues, the BIR was already monitoring how much they were going to pay.

Taxpayers should know, she reiterated, that the tax agency acts like a big brother.
Big brother refers to a person, government, or organization that has control over people and is always checking what they do.

Other Sources

The other sources that swell the collection of the tax office that covers the cities of Angeles and Mabalacat and the towns of Magalang, Porac, and Arayat was the new zonal valuation that took effect in September. It added P39 million or 49 percent increase on the same period in 2022 to the coffer last year. When she assumed office here in November 2021, Dela Torre initiated aggressively the revision of the new higher rates of the zonal valuation.

TOP TAX HONCHO: North Pampanga’s Bureau of Internal Revenue's Revenue District Office Chief No. 21A Charmaine C. Dela Torre.

She said the excise tax from the quarry operations of businessmen in the area buttressed her collection last year to P54 million or an increase of P8.6 million compared to the collection in year 2021.
The collection from the top tax withholding agents significantly increased, too.
She actively joined the group chat at Facebook with the tax practitioners and her staff to answers the queries of the practitioners and taxpayers.
She said questions from them were instigated whenever the BIR reminded them of the new issuances .
“Kahit gabi sinasagot pa rin namin queries nila to let them feel they are valued,” she quipped.
The intelligent and aggressive strategies of Dela Torre gave her an excess in the tentative collection goals given by the national government to her district in January and February this year.
With a probable tax goal of more than P12 billion this 2023, the Pangasinan native RDO-Chief quipped: Sabi ko sa aming Regional Director, year 2023 will be a challenging year for (RDO No.) 21A”.

Is she optimistic that she can do again the yeoman’s job to collect the gargantuan amount – one of the biggest among revenue district offices outside Metro Manila?
“By God’s grace Mortz , by God’s grace,” she told this writer inside her office.

Killer of Negros Guv Member of the Elite of the Elites

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 Vice President Sara Duterte wanted the law enforcement body in the country to look on the political feud that has gripped by fear the people in Negros Oriental Province where many of lives there were wasted to murder.

“The attack exposes the extent of desperation, depravity and thirst for violence of the people who masterminded it as they showed an absolute absence of regard for the lives of the five civilians who were among the fatalities – making it all the more appalling and unforgivable,” the Vice President added to the above statement in a media release.

ELITE OF THE ELITES. According to the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) - Degamo - the police special unit sleuthing on the murder of Negros Governor Roel Degamo -, Sgt. Joven C. Javier as shown on the photo above went absent without leave (AWOL) in the military on 2018. A photo, however, on his social media account posted on November 25, 2020, showed him posing in full battle gear and wearing the distinctive battle dress uniform (BDU) of the premier anti-terrorist American military initiated Light Reaction Regiment (LRR). Photo Credit: Philippine Defense Forum

At 9:30 a.m. of March 4 (Saturday) Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, his three staff and five civilian recipients of the government financial subsidy to the poor called 4Ps perished to the volume of assault rifles fire from six of the ten assassins clad in military uniform.  16 were wounded including three provincial high officials. The killers, as video footage showed in the social media, moved with military - like precision before they entered the lackadaisically guarded gate of the Guv in Brgy. San Isidro, Pamplona where the led man briefly talked with the watchman while he looked for the Degamo. He then shot with his M4 (Carbine) 5.56 mm caliber (the one used by U.S Special Forces) the guard who immediately fell down and hell broke loose as the other armed men simultaneously fired automatically their M4 lethal weapons in the various corners of the governor’s residence. The lead man was seen returning to Degamo who was lying on the ground and pumped another bullet for the coup d’ grace. He was hit on the right side of the body and in his heart.

***

Degamo–a four-term Guv since 2011 after he succeeded the governor who died – and governorship candidate Pryde Henry Alipit Teves had an acrimonious controversial election result dispute when Degamo lost to Teves in the May 2022 election because some of his votes were counted in favor of a nuisance candidate’s Ruel Degamo (real name: Grego Gaudia). After Degamo questioned it to the Commission on Election, the Comelec invalidated the 49,953 votes of Gaudia and added it to Degamo who eclipsed Teves by more than 30,000 votes. After four months sitting as governor, Teves stepped down and Degamo assumed the Capitol after the Comelec declared the petition of Degamo as final and executory in October 3, 2022. Teves, however, questioned through quo warranto petition the decision of the election body to the final arbiter the Supreme Court. The High Tribunal upheld last February 14 with finality the decision of the Comelec. Degamo would be governor until June 31, 2025.

 ***

Press conference today in Negros Oriental where the police and the military showed the cache of high powered weapons and military paraphernalias recovered from the vehicles and the suspected killers on the cold-blooded murder yesterday of the province's governor Roel Degamom. They are five M4 Carbine 5.56mm assault rifles, accessorized one rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher with 5 ammo, four chest rigs with ballistic plates, fully loaded, three pairs of combat boots, two battle uniforms and one tactical shirt. The presser was attended by House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Department of Interior & Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, and Chief of the Philippine National Police Director Rodulfo Azurin, Jr.

Teves, a former mayor and ex- solon who was a survivor of the Batasang Pambansa 2007 bombing, was the brother of Negros Oriental Congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. Arnolfo or Arnie whose son Bayawan City Barangay Chairman Kurt Matthew Teves landed in the national news in March 2022 when he – surrounded by his bodyguards – punched and kicked Security Guard Jomar Pajares of BF Federation of Homeowners' Associations in Las Piñas when he barred him to enter the homeowners’ gate because his car had no sticker.

In a call by television and social media program’s Bitag Host Ben Tulfo to get his son’s side, Congressman Teves and the broadcaster quarreled where the solon even challenged Tulfo for a boxing match.

“Suplahin mo ako murahin mo ako pero huwag kang magkamali. Wala ka sa Negros wala kaming pakialam kung sinong Talpulano ang mga goons mo roon. Wala kaming pakialam…,” Tulfo dissed on the athletic looking but bald Teves who he said had goons.

***

The broad daylight cold blooded assassination of Degamo was a slap on the face of Philippine National Police Chief Director Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. when he promised four days before the dastardly act that he would stop the impunity of the killings of politicians in the Philippines.

In February 27 Speaker Martin Romualdez met with DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos and Azurin after Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. was wounded in an ambush last February 17.

Two days after the attempt to the life of Adiong, Aparri, Cagayan Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda and five of his companions—John Duane Alameda, Abraham Ramos Jr., Ismael Nanay, Alexander delos Angeles and Alvin Abel—were killed in an assassination in Bagabag town, Nueva Vizcaya province.
It was followed by the ambush of Mayor Ohto Montawal of Datu Montawal town, Maguindanao del Sur province, who was wounded after motorcycle-riding suspects shot his van in Pasay City on the evening of Feb. 22.

***

                    Negros Oriental slain Governor Roel Degamo

We hope that the arrest at 4:20 p.m. in the same day of the murder of Degamo of three of the suspects’ former Army soldiers Joric Labrador, 50, of Lanuso, Cagayan de Oro; Joben Aber, 42, of Barangay Robles, La Castellana, Negros Occidental and Benjie Rodriguez, 45, of Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental in Bayawan (where Pryde Teves was mayor from 2016 to 2022 and a two-hour vehicle ride from Pamplona) and one who was killed in the hot pursuit by the cops and the army on the same day that Governor Degamo was assassinated were not the fall guys.

A fourth suspect Osmund Rivero was nabbed by authorities in March 5. He was a former government soldier from Zamboanga City who later became a taxi driver.

According to a post in the Philippine Defense Forum aside from the suspects abandoned get away vehicles’ Mitsubishi Pajero with plate number NQZ 735, a green Isuzu pickup with plate number GRY 162, and one black Mitsubishi Montero with plate number YAP 163, recovered from them were Five M4 Carbine 5.56mm assault rifles, accessorized one B-40 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher with 5 ammo, four chest rigs with ballistic plates, fully loaded, three pairs of combat boots, two battle uniforms and one tactical shirt.

 

302nd Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Leonardo Peña said three of the suspects were former soldiers while one of them was a former member of the elite Scout Ranger.

A photo at the social media of the cashiered Scout Ranger Sergeant Joven Calibjo Javier showed he was also a member of the American military founded, supplied and trained Army top-tier counter-terrorist unit’s Light Reaction Regiment (LRR). I read about this LRR because of the 500 pages’ book Tiradores given to me by Australian based pilot pal Denmark Suede. This is the elite-of-the elites gee whiz of the Philippine military and just like the elite secretive Special Air Service (SAS) of the British, their operations were not toasted in the mass media and their faces were covered if not pixilized whenever the government published their feats.   

The investigation of this case is interesting as Degamo was the political ally of the recently livid President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr when he ran for the presidency last year.

Can Marcos do a Ramon Magsasay in Negros?

 Moises Padilla, according to history book, was a public figure who was tortured and killed in 1951 for political reasons in Magallon (presently Moises Padilla town) Negros Occidental by assassins of former Governor Rafael Lacson in Negros Island. Padilla was declared a martyr by the late Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay who was catapulted to be a popular President of the Republic – thanks to the Padilla abominable killing as one of the reasons why he won the hearts of the masa - during the early 1950s. It was believed that Moises Padilla was an ardent supporter of Magsaysay in every political arena after World War-II.

Two of the three arrested suspects who were cashiered from the military.Photo Credit: Philippine Defense Forum

READ MY OTHER BLOG:

The Lethal, Costly Weapons of a Cobra

MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Follow

I am a twenty years seasoned Op-Ed Political Writer in various newspapers and Blogger exposing government corruptions, public officials's idiocy and hypocrisies, and analyzing local and international issues. I have a master’s degree in Public Administration and professional government eligibility. I taught for a decade Political Science and Economics in universities in Metro Manila and cities of Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Dagupan. Follow me on Twitter @totoMortz or email me at totomortz@yahoo.com.

Cayetano, tumulong sa pagbangon ng libo-libong negosyo sa Albay province

 Upang tulungan makabangon ang kabuhayan ng mga Bikolanong matinding naapektuhan ng COVID-19 pandemic, namahagi ng tulong ang opisina ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano sa daan-daang miyembro ng Legazpi City Public Market Association at Banquerohan Farmers Association nitong Biyernes sa ilalim ng kanyang Presyo-Trabaho-Kita/Kaayusan (PTK) Program.

Katuwang ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), namigay ang PTK program ng P2,500 cash aid sa halos 300 miyembro ng dalawang asosasyon sa Legazpi City Convention Center noong March 3, 2023.

Kwento ni Femy Ludovice Blanquisco, pangulo ng Legazpi City Public Market Association, marami sa mga may pwesto sa palengke ang nagsara noong pandemic. Pinasalamatan niya ang senador sa tulong niya sa kanilang mga maliliit na negosyante na kailangan ang suporta ng gobyerno upang mapanatili ang kanilang kabuhayan.

“Noong pandemic, nabuwag kami dahil nagsara ang aming mga tindahan at negosyo kaya malaking tulong sa aming vendors itong dagdag puhunan para makaangat, makabangon, at makaiwas sa pag-utang,” ani Blanquisco. 

Sabi naman ni Maria Valladolid, pangulo ng Banquerohan Farmers Association, makakatulong ang bagong assistance sa kanilang grupo na lumago sa kabila ng kahirapan. 

“Nilalabanan namin ang kahirapan kasi nandyan si Senator Alan, sumusuporta sa amin,” aniya sa PTK team.

Unang nakatanggap ng seed capital mula sa PTK ang Banquerohan Farmers Association, na binubuo ng 283 coconut farmers at 209 rice farmers, noong 2015. Ginamit nila ang pera para pondohan ang sarili nitong loan program.

Ginamit din ng ibang miyembro ang pondo bilang pambili ng pagkain para sa kanilang pamilya at ng pataba sa lupa, at ang ilan ay nakapagbayad pa ng tuition ng kanilang mga anak.

Taong 2013 nang simulan ni Cayetano ang programang PTK kung saan ang mga kooperatiba at organisasyon ay binibigyan ng kapital na magagamit sa kanilang mga proyekto at programa.

SARI-SARING PAG-ASA

Nitong linggo rin, namahagi ang isa pang programa ni Cayetano — ang Sari-saring Pag-Asa Program (SSP) — ng tulong sa higit isang libong Bikolano sari-sari store owners sa kanilang pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan at para lumago ang kanilang maliliit na negosyo.

Sa isang province-wide handover mula February 27 to March 2, 2023, nagbigay ng tulong ang opisina ni Cayetano sa 1,400 sari-sari store owners sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Oas, Legazpi City, at Tiwi, Albay. Ginawa ito sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga opisyal ng mga lokal ng pamahalaan at sa pakikipagtulungan ng DSWD sa pamamagitan ng Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Program nito.

Sa ilalim ng SSP, na flagship program ni Cayetano para sa mga maliliit na negosyo, nakatanggap ang bawat sari-sari store owner ng P3,500 at booklet na nagpapaliwanag sa programa at nagbibigay ng mga tip kung paano nila palalaguin ang kanilang negosyo.

Ginanap ang pamimigay ng SSP assistance sa pakikipagtulungan kasama nina Albay Governor Edcel “Grex” Lagman, Legazpi City Mayor Carmen Geraldine “Gie” Rosal,  Legazpi City Councilor Joseph Philip Lee, Tiwi Mayor Jaime Villanueva, Oas Mayor Ging Escoto, at Iraya Norte Barangay Captain Greggy Ricarte. 

Nagpahayag sila ng pasasalamat sa tulong na ibinigay ni Cayetano para sa kanilang mga kababayang Bikolano.

“Sa ating butihing senador – Senator Kuya Alan Cayetano – sa binigay ninyong SSP dito sa bayan ng Oas, ako po ay nagpapasalamat in behalf sa aming constituents sa inyong programa. Sana po ay marami pa pong programa na maibigay sa aming bayan,” sabi ni Oas Mayor Ging Escoto.

“Malaking tulong po ito para sa ating small businesses para lalo pong madagdagan ang kanilang kapital at lalo na po pandagdag sa kanilang mga negosyo. Thank you very much to Senator Alan from the city government,” wika naman ni Legazpi City Councilor Joseph Philip Lee. ###