QUAKE VICTIMS. Employees of a mall severely affected by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Mindanao receive family food packs and PHP2,000 cash aid each from the Department of Social Welfare and Development on Tuesday (Nov. 21, 2023). Fisherfolk whose boats were damaged by the earthquake received the same assistance. (Photo courtesy of DSWD)
MANILA – Fisherfolk and employees of a mall severely affected by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Mindanao on Nov. 17 have received cash assistance and family food packs (FFPs) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez on Tuesday said the DSWD gave FFPs and PHP2,000 each to 400 employees of Gaisano Grand Koronadal mall.
He said 41 fisherfolk whose boats were damaged by the tremor also received FFPs and PHP2,000 each.
DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay and personnel from DSWD Field Office (FO) 12 (Soccsksargen) distributed the cash assistance and FFPs under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) on Monday.
“We, in the department, will continue to conduct monitoring, validation, and distribution of FFPs, other relief items, and financial assistance to the families and individuals affected by the earthquake, especially those who lost their source of income, as instructed by Secretary Rex Gatchalian,” Lopez said.
Based on the Nov. 20 Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) report, a total of 5,859 families or 27,155 individuals were recorded to have been affected by the earthquake in the Soccsksargen region.
Lopez, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said the agency has sufficient funds to provide augmentation support to the affected local government units, with more than PHP2.8 billion standby and stockpile funds.
Flood victims
Meanwhile, the DSWD FO 5 (Bicol Region) has also distributed food and non-food relief items to families affected by the floods in Masbate and Camarines Sur.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian directed FO 5 to immediately deliver 104 FFPs, 100 pieces of malong, and 100 pieces of blankets as an initial assistance to affected families seeking temporary shelter in evacuation centers in Barangays Magsaysay and Buenavista in Uson, Masbate.
The DSWD FO 5 also provided a total of 1,667 food boxes to the coastal barangays of Sula and Sabang in Vinzons, Camarines Sur.
The DSWD continues to coordinate with the concerned local government units (LGUs) to monitor the situation, assess the conditions of displaced persons, and determine other needs for relief augmentation.(PNA)
