PBBM sends Lagdameo to oversee aid distribution in Masbate

By Ernie Delgado

MASBATE CITY, Masbate --- In keeping with his commitment to support victims of Typhoon Opong in Masbate until they fully recover, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. sent his special assistant on Monday, October 20, to oversee the distribution of aid to tourism workers and farmers in the province.

During the event, over 800 affected tourism workers received cash assistance of P10,263 each through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program.

Speaking at Magallanes Coliseum, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr. reiterated the President’s commitment and explained the reasons for sending him and other Cabinet members to visit Masbate.

“Soon after Opong, the President visited here. We are here again to ensure that the assistance continues. We recognize that there is still much that is lacking and much that is still needed,” Lagdameo said in his brief speech.

“We are here to make sure that assistance continues until you fully recover. Coordination between the local government unit and the national government is very important,” he added, speaking mostly in Filipino.

Joining Lagdameo were Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco, Social Welfare Secretary Rexlon Gatchalian, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara, and Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro.

Frasco said the tourism industry in Masbate is struggling due to the effects of the disaster.

“Your government, led by President Marcos Jr., is present not only during happier times but also in times of crisis in your life,” she emphasized in Filipino and Cebuano.

In his message to the tourism workers, Gatchalian underscored that the government acknowledges the significant contribution of the tourism industry to the local economy.

“Kayo ang bumubuhay sa ating bansa, kayo ang bumubuhay sa ekonomiya ng isang lugar. Kaya importanteng sa ganitong pagkakataon inaalagaan namin kayo,” he said.

(You are the ones who sustain our country and keep the economy of a place thriving. Therefore, we must take care of you, especially during challenging times.)

Lagdameo also oversaw the distribution of rice and corn seeds to farmers in Barangay Asid, Masbate City, and visited the livestock area and seedling nursery for pili and cacao at the Department of Agriculture’s outreach station there.

He likewise inspected the repair of damaged facilities of Masbate Provincial Hospital and, along with Angara, interacted with students and teachers at Nursery Elementary School and Masbate National Comprehensive High School, where several buildings were damaged by the typhoon.

ECT beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the government for their support.

Mary Joy Cantoria, a food server and criminology student at Liceo de San Jacinto on Ticao Island, plans to use her cash assistance to repair her house and help pay for college tuition after her workplace was damaged.

“I was struggling with my tuition after the restaurant I worked at was damaged. Thankfully, the government assisted,” remarked Cantoria in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency.

Carpo Prac, a resort worker on the island known for the Manta Ray Bowl, said he will use the aid for necessities and home repairs.

Masbate Governor Ricardo Kho said that the presence of Cabinet members in the province has greatly boosted the morale of typhoon victims.

“It’s evident that the President hasn’t forgotten us. Disasters have also affected Cebu, Davao, Zambales, and other areas, but his Cabinet members made the effort to visit the province of Masbate,” Kho said.

On Sept. 26, 2025, Typhoon Opong caused widespread destruction in Masbate, resulting in 19 fatalities and significant damage throughout the island province, located 545 kilometers south of Manila. (PIA Bicol/Masbate)