DSWD provides more aid for fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc incident
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided various forms of assistance to the families of the 14 fishermen involved in a maritime incident off the waters of Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea on Oct. 2.
Three of the fishermen were killed in the collision with a foreign vessel, including the captain of the ill-fated FFB Dearyn.
Social workers from the DSWD-Field Office 3 in Central Luzon have provided psychosocial support to the 11 survivors, and the bereaved families of the three deceased fishermen.
“There is an apparent slight trauma caused by the incident on the survivors, but they are coping well and have strong endurance. They expressed emotional distress due to lack of income to support their families,” DWSD-Field Office 3 Regional Director Venus Rebuldela said in a statement on Tuesday, Nov. 7
She said the “kumustahan” session and financial assistance helped alleviate some of the fishermen’s concerns.
The DSWD FO-3 provided P190,000 in assistance, which included P70,000 in food aid, P90,000 in educational aid, and P30,000 in burial assistance for the families of the deceased fishermen.
Following the completion of the necessary paperwork, the families of the deceased fishermen will also receive educational assistance.
“They were also provided with information and assessed for eligibility for the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP),” Rebuldela added.
SLP is a DSWD capacity-building program that gives poor, vulnerable, and marginalized communities access to opportunities that increase the productivity of their livelihood assets, thereby improving their socioeconomic well-being.