Roughly P12 million worth of assistance was sent to the residents of Puerta Princesa, who were adversely affected by the massive fire that hit the province last month.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who took over as caretaker of Palawan Third District following the passing of Rep. Edward Hagerdon in October last year, led the distribution on Friday of around P4.8 million in cash assistance to about 700 fire victim households in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other donors.

The monetary assistance, ranging from P2,500 to P10,000 given to each, was drawn from DSWD's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation.

"This is just a small contribution for your daily needs, but a big step towards the recovery of your community," the House chief said.

On top of the cash assistance, the beneficiaries, who were left homeless following a series of fires that hit Barangays Bagong Silang, Pagkakaisa, and San Miguel on 7 and 14 February, respectively, also received relief packs from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and youth group NextGen.

Meanwhile, over 2,200 province residents listed as beneficiaries under the Cash and Rice Distribution or CARD, a subsidy program initiated by the House and the DSWD to ease the public's burden of escalating rice prices, were also given about P7 million worth of aid.

Romualdez vowed to marshal all necessary resources to support the critical development priorities of Palawan, including enhancing infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and technology of the province's Third District, citing its strategic importance as a global tourist destination.

"This commitment extends beyond mere words; it is a promise already set into motion. The support from Congress for Puerto Princesa and Palawan will remain steadfast and unyielding," he said.