Filipinos are some of the most resilient people in the world. Although sometimes struck by disasters or bowed by poverty and other challenges in life, we always find a reason to smile while holding on to the hope of a better tomorrow.
This Easter Sunday was an affirmation that our constant efforts to nourish a seed of hope in the face of any adversity are not in vain. The resurrection of Jesus Christ teaches us that we can always rise again and find the light even from the darkest pit of our lives.
Just last 1 April, I was in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya with my team where we were honored to personally meet and listen to fellow Filipinos with inspiring stories, who refused to give up hope while helping uplift the lives of their communities together.
We met with 500 Bayombong farmers who were hard hit by typhoon “Paeng” but continue striving hard to work and recover. To cheer them on, we provided them with some assistance. Representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development were likewise there to separately give our hardworking farmers much-needed financial aid.
We also had the chance to listen to the concerns of some patients and staff in the Region 2 Trauma and Medical Center as we checked on the operations of the Malasakit Center. We were able to aid 234 patients and 1,494 front liners, including security guards, utilities, and staff in the hospital. Separate assistance from the DSWD was likewise given to the qualified patients.
Malasakit Centers, which bring together concerned government agencies, are one-stop shops that aim to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount. The program, institutionalized under the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 which I principally authored and sponsored, now has 157 fully operational Malasakit Centers nationwide that have assisted more than seven million Filipinos, so far.
As a member of the Senate Committee on Cooperatives, I was able to meet with members of the Tam-an Banaue Multipurpose Cooperative during their 32nd Annual General Assembly in Bayombong. Tam-an BMPC seeks to promote savings and thrift to its members and grant loans for productive purposes.
Cooperatives have such a crucial role in uplifting lives and addressing poverty in the community so we have been really adamant in supporting them to the best of our capacity. In the last 18th Congress, I co-authored a measure that was eventually enacted as Republic Act 11535, mandating the appointment of cooperative development officers in every municipality, city, and province.
On the same day in Barangay Busilac, Bayombong, I was deeply humbled to be able to talk with members of the Tuwali Tribe of Ifugao and wear their tribal attire as I was declared the tribe’s adopted son. It was a great honor for me to have been bestowed by the tribe with the name “Aliguyon” which means a brave warrior who has never been defeated in battle and is known for resilience in the face of adversity.
We must always strive to protect our indigenous peoples who are among our marginalized groups that deserve our special attention and protection. We must preserve and promote their cultural heritage and ensure that it remains an important part of our national identity.
This Holy Week, my office likewise continued its relief operations, helping 33 fire victims in various barangays in Cebu City, particularly in Babag, Sudlon, Mambaling, Apas, Guadalupe and Mabolo; 63 in Barobo, Surigao del Sur; 14 in Kidapawan City, Antipas, and Carmen, North Cotabato; two in Cotabato City; and three in Tacurong City, Esperanza and Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat. Also aided were 74 indigents in Parañaque City; 43 families in Arayat, Pampanga; and 60 out-patient department patients of Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose del Monte in Bulacan.
Meanwhile, as we also commemorate Araw ng Kagitingan, may we never forget the sacrifices of our country’s heroes for the sake of our cherished freedoms. Our Filipino war veterans endured grueling fights just to defend our country’s liberty and pave a better future for the succeeding generations. Equally important are our modern-day heroes, our soldiers, other uniformed personnel, and medical front liners, who continue to serve and protect the lives of Filipinos.
May the spirit of Easter and the valiant stories of our heroes continue to serve as a reminder to us that no matter what we are going through, there is always hope. We must never lose faith in ourselves and in the goodness of others. Let us remember that we are all in this together, and that by working together, we can overcome any obstacle.
Let us also never lose sight of what is truly important in life: our faith, our families, and our communities. These are the things that sustain us in times of difficulty and give us hope for a better future. May the spirit of compassion and bayanihan continue as we strive for a better tomorrow.