The town of Carles closed the province-wide sweep of the SiPag at Tiyaga for MoRProGRes sa Bagong Pilipinas program with a strong finish, delivering P3,000 cash aid and P20-per-kilo rice to more than 650 residents in one coordinated anti-poverty drive.
The final leg of the assistance distribution — funded through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) and reinforced by P2,022,000 from the Iloilo Provincial Government — reached 674 beneficiaries across 15 mainland and 18 island barangays, making Carles the last stop in Iloilo’s social protection run.
The provision of low-cost rice is powered by the Department of Agriculture’s “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program, which not only supplies families with affordable, high-quality grains but also guarantees higher palay buying prices for farmers — turning the rollout into a dual win for both consumers and producers.
Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said the pairing of rice and cash assistance offers a “double assurance” for households facing economic pressures.
“May pagkaon sila nga masarangan, kag may bulig pa sa ila day-to-day needs,” he noted.
Priority recipients included AICS beneficiaries, households with malnourished children, and essential community workers such as barangay health workers, nutrition scholars, daycare personnel, teachers, DRRM responders, and personnel from government-run hospitals.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Maria Socorro Quinon said persistent cases of child malnutrition guided the profiling of beneficiaries in Carles, emphasizing that food insecurity remains a key challenge for vulnerable communities.
Since its kickoff in Ajuy on November 11, the BBM program has moved steadily across Iloilo, serving more than 11,000 beneficiaries — delivering cheaper rice for struggling households while helping strengthen local agricultural livelihoods.IMT
