Butuan City – A total of 6,403 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries of Butuan City from the 38 barangays received their Pantawid Pamilya cash cards on September 3, 2011 held at Capitol covered court, Butuan City.

The activity was headed by the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) Butuan City assistant branch Manager Emely Morales-Justiniano together with other LBP tellers and Pantawid Pamilya City Link Officers (CLOs). Butuan city Congressman Jose “Joboy” Aquino and city Vice Mayor Law Fortun and other barangay captains witnessed the cash card distribution to show their support. Furthermore, DSWD Regional Director Mercedita P. Jabagat; Pantawid Pamily Deputy Program Manager and the same time chief of the DSWD Operation Division Angelita B. Amista and City Social Welfare OIC, Ms. Ma. Denne P. Tahil were also present in the said activity.

Congressman Aquino emphasized in his speech that as long as the program will be able to help the poor, he will support it and will make sure that the money will not be used in mischief, while Dir. Jabagat encouraged the beneficiaries to spend the cash grants wisely and to comply with the conditions set by the program.

“The program is a great help to us, though we cannot depend on it to provide us everything we need, but it somehow mitigate some of our needs at the end of the day, especially in providing the school needs of my children and grandchildren in school,” Remely said, 52 years old and a Pantawid Pamilya parent leader of barangay Obrero, Butuan City.  # # # (Social Marketing Unit)