The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), on Sunday, Jan. 28, assured that the department will continue to assist in rebuilding the lives of those affected by a series of disasters.
"Our Field Offices will continue to conduct payout activities, in coordination with concerned local government units (LGUs), until all families have been served," DSWD Asst. Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said.
This was said after the DSWD allocated P537 million for families in Northern Samar, Sarangani, and Surigao Del Sur ---which were hit hard by disasters in the final quarter of 2023.
The department shared that three Field Offices have already begun the simultaneous payout of cash assistance through the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program last Jan. 18.
He said that the DSWD field offices in Eastern Visayas (Region 8), Soccsksargen (Region 12), and Caraga (Region 13) have mobilized their respective personnel to conduct the payout in the affected areas.
The ECT payout, Lopez emphasized, aligns with Secretary Rex Gatchalian's directive to "ensure that all families affected by disasters can recover and start their lives anew immediately."
Eastern Visayas
In Eastern Visayas, the agency listed 123,133 families from Northern Samar affected by flooding caused by a shear line in November 2023 and are eligible to receive cash aid.
The Field Office said it allocated more than P374.3 million for their cash assistance.
As of Jan. 26, the Eastern Visayas DSWD field office has already served 13,418 affected families.
Soccsksargen
In Soccsksargen, the DSWD field office assisted 6,210 families from the towns of Glan, Malapatan, and Alabel in Sarangani province whose houses were totally and partially damaged by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the province in November 2023.
The DSWD Region field office said it allocated more than P91.5 million, of which P14.2 million was intended for cash aid to some 523 families with totally damaged houses and P77.3 million for 5,687 families with partially damaged houses.
Out of the total families eligible for the cash assistance, the Field Office cited to have served 5,112 families during the payout from Jan. 18 to 25.
Caraga
Moreover, the Caraga Field Office has reported that 5,692 Surigao Del Sur families were affected by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake on Dec. 2 last year.
Because of this, more than P71.2 million has been earmarked by the Caraga Field Office for the ECT implementation.
During the payout from Jan. 23 to 26, a total of 4,132 families from the target areas were served and received cash aid.