The Presidential Commission on Urban Poor is proud to say that it has breached its 100,000 mark in helping the poor amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Alvin Feliciano, PCUP chairperson and chief executive officer, said the agency was able to surpass its target through the cooperation and assistance from the private sector, including foundations.
PCUP has reached out to 111,570 families in its relief assistance, he said.
Feliciano vowed to continue extending public service to those who have been severely affected by the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
“In fact, the commission’s field of operations is now readying new schedules to areas where help is badly needed,” he said.
“We will include different barangays in the National Capital Region that coursed their request through the official Facebook page of PCUP,” he added.
Based on the agency’s data, Metro Manila has the most number of recipients from PCUP’s relief assistance at 74,579 families.
In Luzon alone, there were 12,000 beneficiaries, particularly those belonging from various PCUP-accredited homeowners’ associations, received assistance from the agency.
The agency was able to extend relief assistance to over 22,000 families in resettlement sites in Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna, among others, while 4,000 frontliners in the Visayas and Mindanao were provided with face shields, gloves and food packs.
According to Feliciano, apart from relief assistance, the agency also coordinated and partnered with the Department of Agriculture to extend training on urban gardening, and to provide information, education and communication materials for faster information dissemination.
He said the agency is also involved in the national government’s Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa program, and in the crafting of new guidelines and process of capacity building and social preparation activities for the marginalized communities in compliance with the country’s health protocols.