President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday handed over PhpP10 million to the Provincial Government of Sulu as cash assistance to El Niño-hit farmers and fisherfolk of the province.

It was the first time that he visited Sulu as President.

The President’s visit came nine months after Special Assistant to the President Secretary Anton Lagdameo Jr. and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian visited the province to deliver help in October last year.

“Nawa’y ang tulong na dala namin ngayon ay magpalakas sa inyong mga kabuhayan at magpatibay pa lalo sa inyo bilang isang lalawigan,” President Marcos said during the distribution of presidential assistance in Jolo.

“Hindi namin kayo iiwan sa pagharap sa pagsubok na ito, kaya kami ay [magbabahagi] ng ayuda upang makabangon kayong muli at higit pang mapayabong ang inyong pamumuhay,” he added.

Government data showed the dry spell destroyed more than PhP5.3 million crops in the province, causing losses to some 912 farmers.

The DSWD also extended P10,000 each to more than 5,000 farmers and fisherfolk through the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program.

On the other hand, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) –Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform distributed farm machineries and equipment to farmers in Sulu.

For its part, the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives gave over five kilos of rice to each of the attendees.

Last April, 19 municipalities of the province were placed under state of calamity (SOC) in response to the weather phenomenon.

With the onset of the rainy season, Sulu is expected to experience almost normal rainfall levels from July to October this year.

The DSWD prepositioned 3,338 family food packs and other non-food items worth PhP2.55 million at the DSWD-Field Office IX as contingency. | PND