By Junex Doronio
BORBON, Cebu — It was like an early Christmas gift for some 500 poor residents here that they would never forget when they received a total of P1.5 million “ayuda” from siblings Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano through the efforts of Vice Mayor Roy Melgo.
The Borbonanons in Barangay Poblacion were visibly elated when they each received P3,000 in cash from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that handled the donation of the Cayetano senator siblings.
“Thank you so much Senators Alan and Peter Cayetano for your generosity. Praise the Lord, this is an early ‘pinaskuhan’ Christmas gift for the poor folks in Borbon,” said retired public high school teacher Naomi “Inday Nenen” Polinag whose meager pension could hardly meet her family’s needs.
Melgo had solicited the cash aid from the Cayetano senator siblings.
The “ayuda”-giving event was held on Monday, October 16, at the Borbon Sports Complex during the AICS program of DSWD.
Maharlika NuMedia learned that the aid was directly given by the Cayetano senator siblings to the Office of the Vice Mayor and coursed through the AICS program of the DSWD.
AICS is a DSWD program to provide immediate cash assistance to the individuals and families who are with crises and unable to maintain living expenses.
Widely believed to be eyeing the mayoralty post in 2025, Melgo serves as political adviser for the Visayas of the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines (VLMP) and the concurrent vice chairman of the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines (VMLP) in Region 7.
He is also the treasurer of the VMLP – Cebu Chapter.
Melgo said aside from directly giving prompt and quality service to the Borbonanons, he will also focus on tourism and sports development and help the mayor fulfill his dream to propel this town into a first-class municipality. (ai/mnm)