Hontiveros visits Pag-asa Island, vows livelihood, medical assistance
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday committed to help in providing livelihood assistance and sufficient medical equipment and infrastructure for the residents of the Pag-asa Island, a part of Kalayaan Island Group, emphasizing that the municipality being part of the Philippines must not be forgotten.
Hontiveros made this commitment as she visited the island to deliver medical and essential goods to the residents and as part of her 60th birthday celebration. The visit was coordinated with the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, including the National Security Council, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
“Ang pagbisita ko ay pagpapakita lamang ng suporta at pakikiisa sa mga kapwa nating Pilipino na nandito sa Kalayaan. Sila at ang munisipalidad nila ay bahagi ng Pilipinas kaya hinding-hindi sila dapat pabayaan,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
(My visit shows my support and solidarity with our fellow Filipinos living here in Kalayaan. They are part of the Philippines and they should not be neglected.)
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The senator said that she would coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Department of Labor and Employment to provide livelihood funds for the Municipality of Kalayaan sourced through the agencies’ Sustainable Livelihood Program and Integrated Livelihood Program.
“We found that livelihood infrastructure, such as solar-powered cold storage facilities for our fisherfolk, is much needed. That’s why I will coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and will call on the private sector, especially with their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, to provide them with these. We need to help them boost their economy and livelihood,” Hontiveros noted.
Aside from this, Hontiveros vowed to work with the Department of Health to ensure the accessibility of health facilities for the municipality.
During her visit, Hontiveros said that the government must prove that they “show up not only in words, but in action” emphasizing that “our sovereignty is lived and defended daily by the people stationed here.”
“Government must show up not only in words, but in action — by ensuring that our communities and frontliners have the resources, services, and institutional backing they rightfully deserve,” she expressed.
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PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, who accompanied Hontiveros in her visit, lauded her “bravery” to join the maritime domain awareness flight to the island.
“My heartfelt thanks also go to her for supplying groceries for the locals, organizing a medical mission complete with doctors and portable one-stop labs for comprehensive health check-ups, and generously providing over 20 portable desalinator machines to support our troops in different maritime features in KIG,” Tarriela said in a Facebook post.
Hontiveros’ visit came just a few days after Senator Rodante Marcoleta suggested that the country give up the KIG as he argued that it is not within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
