Bohol allocates P180-M for 

Relief Assistance Program 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 25 (PIA) –- The Bohol Provincial Government has allocated about P180-M for its Provincial Relief Assistance Program for its constituents in crisis here and offshore.

Provincial Development and Planning Officer (PPDO) Atty. John Titus Vistal bared this to members of the Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) Strategic Communications Cluster in its recent virtual meeting. 

Vistal said that under the "We Survive as One Bohol Program," Bohol has put up measures to respond to its constituents in crisis.

For individuals and families in crisis due to measures implemented to contain the spread of the corona virus disease (COVID-19) and need relief assistance, Bohol has its own Relief Assistance Package in the form of Rice Relief, Food Vouchers, Community Milk Feeding program, and Cash Assistance to Boholanos stranded offshore and for the Returning Boholanos Program, Vistal shared.

As to the Food Assistance Program, from 300,000 families who can receive P10 kilos of premium rice, the allocated P150-M now gets to 337,220 families as implemented by the Office of the Provincial Social welfare and Development Office, Office of the Governor, and the local government units (LGUs). 

Also provided is a Food Voucher Program set for 50 families for each of the 111 coastal and island barangays in Bohol, said Vistal. 

The program aims to provide food vouchers to most affected families in the coastal and island barangays in the province to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 health crisis through the Food from Trash Program or the conduct of coastal or community clean-up, added Vistal. 

Soon as a family collects 20 kilos of coastal trash, these can be exchanged for food vouchers which they can use to purchase food supplies as Bohol allocates P2,775,000 for this program as implemented by the Bohol Environment Management Office and the coastal LGUs.

For children who are among the most vulnerable sector, the provincial government has embarked on a P6,658,000 Bohol Community fresh-Milk Feeding program for the undernourished, pregnant women, pre-schoolers and frontliners.

Undernourished children and pregnant women in the towns of Trinidad, Talibon, Sierra Bullones, and Carmen, as well as pre-schoolers in 17 towns, the Bohol COVID Medical Team, Police Force and the Quarantine Task Force in the frontlines estimated to reach 10,219, will receive fresh milk to bolster their immune system as health authorities have confirmed the danger of COVID-19 transmission in the communities. 

For the initial 17 towns alone, the program as implemented by the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian, Provincial Heath Office, Educational Development Center, Provincial Nutrition Council and the Department of Education has already reached 7,570 beneficiaries, the PPDO reported. 

And in fortifying the immune systems of frontliners, the program has also distributed 2,552 fresh milk bottles in 220ml and 330ml to quarantine teams across Bohol, he continued.

For offshore students and displaced Boholanos stranded in other provinces, Bohol has allotted cash aid of P2,000 each in a program coordinated by the Offshore Boholanos Coordinating Team (OBCT).

While Bohol estimated the beneficiaries to be about 7,500 partners, the responding offshore Boholanos who intend to get the assistance reached 25,703 while the OBCT has trimmed down the number of qualified beneficiaries to 16,678.

On July 14, a total of 10,383 beneficiaries have received their cash assistance, from the allocated P15,000,000, Bohol has already released P20,978, 580, according to the PPDO, who along with the Provincial Treasurers Office and the Office of the Governor coordinated the program.

For the Returning Boholanos Program which focuses on the returning Overseas Filipino Workers, locally stranded individuals, stranded students and displaced workers who were not able to return to Bohol because of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Bohol has allotted P50-M.

Vistal said Bohol has facilitated the return of 7815 locally stranded individuals since March 23, and 2,104 OFWs since April 24.

The Returning Boholanos Program is implemented by the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office, Office of the Governor, Bohol Employment Placement Office and the Provincial Health Office. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

RETURNING BOHOLANOS. Part of the P180-M allocation from the province went to facilitating the return of Boholanos, whether they be Overseas Filipino Workers, locally stranded individuals, students, or displaced workers, according to PPDO Atty. John Vistal. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

FOOD VOUCHERS. Food vouchers like this would be given to Boholano families in crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. (PIA Bohol)