The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Friday, Jan. 13 that it has so far provided P119 million worth of financial assistance to victims of widespread flooding in the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, and Northern Mindanao.
Through the Assistance in Crisis Situation or AICS, the DSWD provided financial help to 24,455 beneficiaries in the three regions that were heavily affected by the incessant rains in recent days.
Aside from financial aid, the DSWD provided augmentation assistance consisting of food and non-food items worth P45 million to areas currently experiencing rains in Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
In Eastern Visayas, the DSWD-Field Office VIII has already served 25,045 families from the provinces of Northern Samar, Western Samar, and Eastern Samar.
Meanwhile, DSWD-Field Office IX delivered 2,750 family food packs and 599 jerry cans with drinking water as initial aid to families affected by heavy rains and flooding in Zamboanga City, Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay; and Liloy and Salug in Zamboanga del Norte.
The DSWD maintains stockpiles and standby funds worth P1.26 billion ready for distribution, if requested by the local government units.