PBBM aid brings hope to Camarines Sur farmers, fishers devastated by storm

By Keren Anne Bernadas

THE devastation of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine left Erlinda Nuñez Valencia, a 55-year-old farmer from Baao, Camarines Sur, with nothing but the clothes on her back.

The night of October 22, torrential rains flooded her community, sweeping away her livestock, rice fields, and her home.

Erlinda’s husband, desperate to save their farm animals, built an improvised plastic boat and braved the floodwaters. He managed to rescue some pigs and chickens, but because of that he sustained injuries that left his feet swollen.

They had borrowed money to improve their rice fields, only to lose everything in a single night. With their children struggling to make ends meet in Manila, Erlinda and her husband felt a sense of hopelessness.

Then, news came that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would be visiting the province for the second time to distribute assistance to affected farmers like them; a glimmer of hope ignited within Erlinda.

That hope was solidified when Erlinda received P10,000 from the Office of the President.

On Tuesday, President Marcos distributed P50 million in aid to Albay and Camarines Sur, marking his second visit in 11 days after the storm. Around 5,000 fishermen and farmers in Camarines Sur received financial support.

The aid, a lifeline in their time of need, will help them buy medicine for her husband’s injuries and provide for their basic necessities.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako kay President Bongbong Marcos sa ayuda na aming natanggap,” Erlinda said, her voice filled with gratitude. “Babangon po kaming muli sa trahedyang ito.” (I thank President Bongbong Marcos for the help we received. We will rise again from this tragedy.)

The aid has rekindled Erlinda’s hope for a brighter future. It has given her and her husband the strength to rebuild their lives, to find new ways to earn a living, and to overcome the devastating impact of the storm.

In Calabanga, Camarines Sur, on the other hand, Glenn Toledo lost his fishing boats and gear, hindering his livelihood. The cash aid provided by the president helped him.

“Salamat po mga ahensya kan gobyerno, lalo kay President Bongbong Marcos! Dakula pong tabang ini samuyang paralaot arog po ngunyan mayo pong dadakupon sa dagat. Yaon man po ang BFAR na nagtatabang samo,” Toledo said.

(Thank you government agencies, especially to President Bongbong Marcos. It’s a big help to our fishermen, especially since we can’t go out to the sea now, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is also there to help us.)

Like Toledo, Ruben Abaro also expressed his hope and confidence that they can move forward from a catastrophic experience.

Abaro, a 67-year-old farmer from Minalabac, Camarines Sur, also suffered damage in agricultural fields, equipment, and his house submerged in floodwaters.

“Salamat pong maray President Bongbong Marcos sa tinao mo pong financial assistance para sa samuyang mga parauma na naigahan kang kalamidad. Dakulang tabang po ini samuya para magbangon mula sa kalamidad,” Abaro said.

(Thank you very much President Bongbong Marcos for providing financial assistance to us farmers, who were hit by the calamity. This is a big help for us to recover.)

According to a report from the Department of Agriculture, Kristine caused over P110 million in damage to the fisheries sector alone in the Bicol region. (PIA5).