• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Negros Occidental provincial government is ready to implement a P171-million rice distribution project aimed at providing food assistance to indigent individuals and families across the province.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said the project, titled “Assistance to Indigent Individuals or Families-Food Assistance Rice Distribution Project,” is funded through the Local Government Support Fund-Financial Assistance (LGSF-FA) allocated to local government units (LGUs).
“All cities and municipalities will receive their equitable share of the food assistance,” Diaz said, adding that the distribution will proceed once the mayors submit their preferred schedules.
The provincial government requires LGUs to submit a list of beneficiaries who have already received rice subsidies using their own LGSF-FA for food assistance to avoid duplication and ensure that more qualified families benefit from the program.
Diaz said the Negros Occidental provincial government thanked the Office of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for allocating the funds for the province.
He also expressed appreciation to the Philippine Statistics Authority for providing the list of poor and near-poor families, which will serve as a basis in identifying qualified beneficiaries of the rice assistance program.
Diaz said the provincial government, led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, remains committed to accessing programs and other sources of assistance from the national government and other funding institutions to support and improve the lives of Negrenses. | GPB
