The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday, Jan. 20, provided assistance to 99 Badjaus who have been stranded at the Manila North Port Terminal since Jan. 17.
Each family has been given P5,000, including food packs and hygiene kits.
The stranded Badjaus were supposed to return to their home provinces, but since the majority of them are unvaccinated and have lapsed RT-PCR test results, they were not allowed to travel for health and safety reasons.
The city government of Manila has already provided initial assistance to the stranded families by distributing hot meals, as well as facilitating their vaccination.
The DSWD continues to coordinate with the City of Manila City for the provision of hot meals until the stranded families leave for their hometowns.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) also provided a space in the waiting and parking areas inside the premise of Pier 4 for the strandees.
The PPA will also be installing tents as temporary shelters for them.