Residents brought placards thanking the President for her social programs in the province of Nueva Ecija that uplifts the lives of the poor citizens.

Some of the placards have inscriptions extolling President Arroyo as “dakilang ina” (great mother) while others thank the Chief Executive for the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) that benefits most of the residents.

In the ceremony for the distribution of cash cards to 20 new 4Ps beneficiaries, although not part of the program, President Arroyo asked if anybody from the audience is already a beneficiary. Licab resident Filipina Manuel stood up and went on the stage and expressed her profound thanks to the President for the said program.

Manuel said that she started receiving the cash grant from the 4Ps program since August 2008 stressing that the money she received was spent for the needs of her family, especially to the education and health of her children.

“Lahat ng pangangailangan ng aking mga anak ay hindi ko alam na kanilang ibibigay (I never thought that they will provide us the needs of my children),” she noted.

Manuel tearfully told the President that meeting her onstage is a dream come true because she never imagined that she will be able to meet the country’s leader despite her status in life.

Although she did not meet the President personally, 30-year old 4Ps beneficiary Mary Anne Sagsagat from Barangay Calabasa has also extended her sincerest thanks to President Arroyo saying that the P1,400 that she receives monthly from the program greatly helped the needs of her four children. Sagsagat is a vegetable vendor while her husband is a farmer.

Also extending her deepest thanks and gratitude to President Arroyo is 29-year old Rosalinda dela Cruz from Barangay Bugnan who said that the P500 a month that she receives from the 4Ps program is a big help to her three-year old child since she and her husband is not getting much money from being farm workers.

The 20 new beneficiaries here in Gabaldon completed the list of the 700,000 households benefiting from the program. It is part of the government’s commitment to the United Nation Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at significantly reducing global poverty by the year 2015. (PIA9-Pagadian City)

Last update: 06-10-2009 01:15