Manila, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended cash assistance and family food packs (FFPs) to those affected by the recent 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Mindanao, particularly targeting fisherfolk and employees of a severely damaged mall.
According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez announced that the department provided FFPs and PHP2,000 each to 400 employees of the Gaisano Grand Koronadal mall. Additionally, 41 fisherfolk whose boats were damaged by the earthquake also received similar assistance. DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay, along with personnel from DSWD Field Office (FO) 12 (Soccsksargen), distributed the cash and FFPs under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
The department, as per Secretary Rex Gatchalian's directives, is committed to continuous monitoring, validation, and distribution of relief items and financial support to those affected, especially those who have lost their sources of income. According to the Nov. 20 Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) report, a total of 5,859 families or 27,155 individuals have been impacted by the earthquake in the Soccsksargen region.
Lopez assured that the DSWD has sufficient funds to provide augmentation support to the affected local government units, with over PHP2.8 billion in standby and stockpile funds. Moreover, DSWD FO 5 (Bicol Region) has distributed food and non-food relief items to flood victims in Masbate and Camarines Sur. The initial assistance included 104 FFPs, malongs, and blankets to families in evacuation centers in Uson, Masbate, and 1,667 food boxes to coastal barangays in Vinzons, Camarines Sur. The DSWD continues to collaborate with local government units to assess the needs of displaced individuals and provide necessary relief augmentation.