Cash Aid and Supplies Delivered to Families Affected by Mt. Kanlaon Eruption
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL — Nearly 1,600 families affected by the recent eruption of Mt. Kanlaon received cash assistance and relief goods over the weekend, as part of a relief operation coordinated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The distribution was led by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian in Bago City and La Castellana town.
According to Philippines News Agency, a total of PHP 17 million in aid was provided, with 1,386 families in La Castellana and 193 in Bago City each receiving PHP 10,000 through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program. In addition to cash assistance, the beneficiaries received 288 hygiene kits, 97 sleeping kits, 193 family kits, and 194 family food packs, totaling PHP 1.201 million in value. May Rago-Castillo, information officer of DSWD-6 (Western Visayas), emphasized the department’s commitment to continuous support for the displaced families, ensuring they receive necessary basic supplies and psycho-social care.
Local officials expressed their gratitude for the national support, with Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan of La Castellana highlighting the importance of the assistance and solidarity shown by the national government. Edger Agustin, a local resident and beneficiary, noted that the financial aid was crucial for meeting his family’s immediate needs after the eruption, which had significantly damaged his crops and forced his family into an evacuation center for ten days.
The ongoing relief efforts are part of a broader response that includes ensuring the well-being of the nearly 800 families still in evacuation centers within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone around Mt. Kanlaon. The DSWD continues to provide technical assistance and resources, focusing particularly on the psycho-social well-being of the evacuees, including vulnerable groups like women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.