The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it continues to closely monitor the effects of the Bataan oil spill on local communities and is prepared to provide additional assistance if needed.
Regional Director Venus Rebuldela from the DSWD-Field Office 3 (Central Luzon) reported that the agency is actively working with local government units (LGUs) to track the progress of the ongoing oil spill cleanup efforts.
“Currently, our department, through the Regional Development Council (RDC), is continuing to monitor the situation regarding the oil spill,” Rebuldela said in Filipino at a media forum in Quezon City.
She reported that the field office has already dispatched 11,000 family food packs (FFPs) as resource augmentation to the municipalities hardest hit by the disaster, particularly Mariveles and Limay.
She said the provision of support is in line with Secretary Rex Gatchalian's directive to ensure that FFP requests from LGUs are swiftly handled by the agency’s disaster response hubs.
In addition to the FFPs, DSWD-Central Luzon is also in talks with Bataan Gov. Jose Enrique Sandejas Garcia III to explore additional interventions for fisherfolk whose livelihoods have been affected by the oil spill.
According to Rebuldela, the Cash-for-Work (CFW) Program is a potential option, as it aims to provide employment opportunities to individuals and families in need.
However, she said implementing CFW remains optional while awaiting a response from the Department of Labor and Employment, which oversees livelihood assistance.