By Ellalyn De Vera Ruiz
Department of Social Welfare and Development officer –in-charge Emmanuel Leyco dismissed reports that the DSWD has run out of funds for the displaced Boracay workers who are awaiting transportation assistance.
Drainage is seen along a beach in Boracay, Aklan, March 1, 2018.
(Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
“We ask members of the public and the media to dismiss or ignore these reports about DSWD stopping the release of assistance. We reiterate what we said before the closure of Boracay: We have enough funds to use for the emergency transportation needs of workers leaving Boracay,” Letco stressed.
“We are operating on our existing budget for 2018, and we are utilizing the resources we have to help people affected by the island closure to tourists,” he added.
In a related development, the operations center of the DSWD has expanded its coverage area to assist more workers and local residents adversely affected by the shutdown of Boracay Island to tourism.
The operations center at Faith Village Gardens in Sitio Ambolong Station 3, Brgy. Manoc-Manoc, in the world-renwoend island has expanded its coverage and now includes seven sitios of Brgy. Balabag.
To ensure that swift and efficient release of funds to displaced workers in need of assistance and facilitate the liquidation of the first P5 million cash advance, a finance team has been assigned to review the documents of those who were already provided with financial assistance.
Leyco also shared that there are now on-ground enhancements to improve the service process of its operations center.