Mayor Celso Lobregat and the Turkish community managing the Filipino Turkish Tolerance School (FTTS) in Pitogo yesterday reached out to poor people in observance of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The outreach program dubbed “Ramadan Aid” included the distribution of rice to poor and underprivileged families for their sunset meals, as the fasting month culminates in 3 days. The rice is a donation from the Kimse Yok Mu, a solidarity and aid association based in Turkey through the FTTS.

The beneficiaries come from the different barangays of the city. Each of them received 5 kilos of rice.

For 8 years now, the Turkish community in the city has been undertaking outreach missions in observance of Ramadan and other special occasions. The drive is done in coordination with Mayor Lobregat and other government agencies.

For this year, the FTTS has allocated 500 packs of 5 kilos to Mayor Lobregat for distribution to deserving families from selected barangays. In a ceremonial turnover of the rice yesterday afternoon, FTTS Director Mehmet Cetin said the Turkish community is thankful to the mayor for being very supportive of the school’s activities and programs.

Cetin noted that Mayor Lobregat personally attends to all FTTS activities whenever he is invited.

Right after the turn over at the FTTS grounds in Pitogo, Mayor Lobregat proceeded to the barangays together with FTTS Assistant Director Abdulhaniit Durakoglu to distribute the rice packs.

The list barangays and the number of beneficiaries is as follows: Recodo- 35 families; Maasin – 50 Badjao families; Campo Islam- 35 families; Sta. Catalina- 35 families; Kasanyangan- 35 families, Arena Blanco- 35 families, Mampang- 35 families, Talon-alon- 35 families, Mariki- 35 families, Rio Hondo- 35 families and Sta. Barbara -58 fire victims. 35 other rice packs were distributed to other areas.

As this developed, Mayor Lobregat thanked the FTTS for continuously carrying out its mission in consonance with the virtues of Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan truly displays the Muslims’ virtues of goodness, self-restraint, charity and generosity and the care for the needy, he said.