By Danny Estacio

TIAONG Quezon -About 1650 sector of near-poor, they are workers receiving minimum wage are recipients of the Ayuda Para  Sa Kapos Ang Kita Program (AKAP), a new program of the national government, received cash assistance during payout at Tiaong Convention Center and Villa Escudero Plantation and Resort on Thursday, Aug 8, here.

The AKAP is in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, House of Representatives under the leadership of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Deputy Speaker David Suarez, and ALONA Partylist Representative Anna V. Suarez.

Deputy House Speaker Suarez supervised the payout conducted by the DSWD regional office.

The 1500 are workers from various private business establishments in this town and the 150 are workers of the Villa Escudero Plantation and Resort.

The beneficiaries of the private establishment asked permission from their employers to personally claim the cash assistance of P5000, while Suarez personally came to the resort’s workers of Escudero to deliver the aid.

Suarez was welcomed by resort owner Rosalie Escudero who expressed thanks to the government’s gesture in helping the near poor to be imparted on the amelioration program of President Bongbong Marcos.

The Quezon solon was accompanied by municipal councilors Maja Escueta, Recrec Baldeo, Jonas Atienza, Rex Bautista, Tom Ilao, and SK president Kenneth Obispo.

Suarez advised the recipients to spend the money for family needs at least to lessen the burden on family expenditures.

Though the near poor have work but receive salaries under minimum wage and because of increasing prices of basic commodities, their income is being affected and insufficient to support the family expenses, Suarez said.