THE Tingog party-list led by Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez has been a solid partner of House Majority Leader (Majo) and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez and UniTeam of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in its Humanitarian and Relief Mission to provinces badly hit by Super Typhoon Odette.

Rep. Yedda is the chairperson of the House committee on the welfare of children

The Tingog demonstrated its “malasakit” (compassion), particularly during the relief mission of UniTeam with Majo Martin last December 19, 20, 29 and 30, 2021.

In particular, Tingog party-list which is also being represented as nominees by actress-singer Karla “Mamshie” Estrada, mother of actor and recording artist Daniel Padilla; and former JCI Philippines President Jude Avorque Acidre are working very hard in Southern Leyte, Cebu and other provinces to help typhoon victims.

Majo Martin, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) president, is Southern Leyte’s caretaker following the appointment of former Rep. Roger Mercado as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The UniTeam completed on December 30, 2021 the second phase of its Humanitarian and Relief Mission, delivering a total of P28.6 million in financial assistance and P48.3 million worth of relief goods for Super Typhoon Odette victims in 11 provinces since December 19.

In addition, the UniTeam also delivered P1 million worth of construction materials for the repair of shattered houses, several thousands bags of rice for distribution to calamity victims, a portable solar panel system, 11 units of bucket water filter system, 77 solar flashlights with chargers, 40 sacks of slippers and other vital items.

The UniTeam provided cash assistance and other relief goods to 11 provinces namely Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte, Masbate, Capiz, Negros Occidental, Southern Leyte, Butuan City in Agusan del Norte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental on Wednesday and Dinagat Islands and Palawan.

The Tingog party-list, Majo Martin and UniTeam have been doubling efforts to help the typhoon victims, most of whom were left with nothing following Odette’s onslaught.

Tingog has been relentless in helping the victims amid these difficult times and assured that more aid will be given to them.

Rest assured that Tingog, Majo Martin and UniTeam will extend assistance not only in relief operations, but also in the more important task of rehabilitation.

They have personally seen the damages wrought by Typhoon Odette, and they know that the national government needs to lend a helping hand to get the typhoon victims back on their feet.

Last December 29, Marcos turned over to Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado another P1 million in financial assistance, 2,000 sacks of rice, and 77 units of solar flashlight with charger at the Maasin City Airport.

UniTeam and Tingog Party-list also handed over to hard-hit San Ricardo town in Southern Leyte P500,000 in financial aid and 500 sacks of rice for typhoon victims through Mayor Roy Salinas.

Salinas was not able to attend the event at the Maasin City Airport due to bad weather conditions in the province on that day, prompting Tingog party-list to meet him.

Last December 19, the UniTeam gave Mercado P2 million in financial help and P2.5 million worth of relief goods through the help of Tingog party-list.

As Tingog cares in partnership with Majo Martin and UniTeam, we can expect that the team will work tirelessly until they ensure that all those who need assistance would be given the same.

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TINGOG Party-list (formerly Tingog Sinirangan Party-list) is a party-list driven by its core advocacies pagbag-o, paglaum, and pag-uswag — the Waray words for change, hope and progress, respectively — by empowering and improving quality of life and outcomes for many Filipino families and communities in the margins of society, starting with its home region of Eastern Visayas (Region VIII).

The party hopes to bring about change from the ground up with an empowered electorate supported by higher family incomes and increased social services, especially for the most vulnerable, who are politically active and engaged in improving governance in their communities and, eventually, on a national scale.

Other Tingog nominees are Jaime J. Go, an entrepreneur and civic leader from Tacloban City, Leyte; and Alexis V. Yu, pharmacist, entrepreneur and community leader from Basey, Samar.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PROGRAMS

TINGOG has been working closely with various government agencies to provide assistance and support programs to many in need, especially those who have been hard hit by the economic effects of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic.

TINGOG offers the following programs:

• Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP) program, medicines, vaccinations and wheelchair donations, and three (3) Mobile Dental Vans through its partnership with the Department of Health (DOH);

• Assistance in Crisis Situations (AICS), Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and Family Food Packs (FFPs) through its partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);

• Tulong Dunong Scholarship Program through its partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

• Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program, Government Internship Program (GIP) and Nego-Karts program through its partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); and

• Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP) through its partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

In over two years of service to the people, TINGOG has helped, as of July 16, 2021, over 20,381 beneficiaries through the MAIP program; 13,413 through the AICS program; 4,667 through the SLP; 12,751 through the TUPAD; 200 under the DOLE GIP; 20,000 scholars under the Tulong Dunong Program; and 12,120 TESDA grantees.

INFRASTRUCTURE

As of July 16, 2021, over Php 1.553B has been allocated for infrastructure projects to improve a massively underdeveloped Eastern Visayas, with 398 infrastructure projects currently completed and ongoing.

LEGISLATIVE

TINGOG has had 59 bills approved in the House of Representatives, 21 of which have now been signed into law. In its now two years of service to the public, three (3) of TINGOG’s priority bills have been signed into law, including two (2) bills for the improvement and upgrading of hospitals in Eastern Visayas, namely:

1. The Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (now the Eastern Visayas Medical Center) in Tacloban City, Leyte (Republic Act (RA) No. 11567), and

2. The Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital (now the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center) in Palo, Leyte (RA No. 11566); and

3. The Alternative Learning System (ALS) Act (RA 11510), institutionalizing the ALS as the “other lung” of the Philippine education system and provides a more systematic and flexible approach by bringing both academic and practical, technical, and vocational skills to the learners outside of the formal educational system, such as out-of-school children, youth and adults, the elderly, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and other marginalized sectors of society.

COVID RESPONSE IN EASTERN VISAYAS On the onset of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, TINGOG has been working to better prepare Eastern Visayas from the coming onslaught of COVID cases.

TINGOG was instrumental in securing the accreditation of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) as a dedicated regional testing center to reduce the major concern of delays in testing.

The party-list also lobbied for needed medical supplies for COVID response such as PPEs, disinfectants, hospital beds, ambulances to both Samar and Leyte, as well as community- and hospital-based isolation, treatment and monitoring facilities for healthcare workers (HCWs), locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning OFWs through its close partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and several hotels in Tacloban City.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE In running for its second term, TINGOG aims to share its vision of transformational politics, shared governance, and development of the peripheries it established for and from its home in Eastern Visayas and spread it to other underserved areas of the country as a model for sustainable, inclusive, unified, and overall societal change in the Philippines.

TINGOG hopes that it lives up to its name — the Visayan word for ‘voice’ — and continues to serve as the voice for the marginalized and underserved of the country.