PCSO turns over aid to five towns

Cebu - The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office yesterday turned over the first batch of financial assistance to municipalities in the Cebu fourth district.

Federico Damole, PCSO manager for operation in the Visayas, turned over the check worth P250,000 for the towns of Medellin, Sta. Fe, Daan Bantayan, Bantayan and Madridejos. Each of these towns will receive P50,000.

The initial release of the financial assistance was made possible upon the request of fourth district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon for PCSO to extend help for his indigent constituents. Salimbangon asked for P450,000 for the eight towns and one city in his district as financial assistance for his medical programs.

In his letter to the PCSO, Salimbangon said the projects he is undertaking are in adherence to the priority programs of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The amount that was released yesterday will fund the medical missions that will be initiated by the Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung Charitable Foundation Inc. and the office of Rep. Salimbanagon.

Ramona Aliño, MSY Foundation executive director, said they would be conducting medical mission on February 1 in Medillin, March 15 in Daanbantayan, and April 19 in Sta. Fe, Bantayan and Madredijos.

“Tampo-tampo g’yud ni sa gasto. The P50,000 given for the municipalities is their share to the medical mission. The MSY Foundation normally shells out P80,000 aside from the funding coming from Congressman Salimbangon for every medical mission being done,” Aliño said. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/LPM (THE FREEMAN)