Caraga Region – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided over PHP97.9 million in payments to 27,996 individuals in the Caraga Region under its Risk Resiliency Program-Cash for Work-Cash for Training (RRP-CFW-CFT) program. Rachel Molino, the focal person of the region's RRP-CFW-CFT program, stated that the community work performed by the beneficiaries from January to October primarily included reforestation, community farming, and watershed rehabilitation works. These efforts were especially important given that many of the beneficiaries' livelihoods were affected by Typhoon Odette.
According to Philippines News Agency, data from DSWD-Caraga, the payouts were distributed among beneficiaries from different provinces in the region. Agusan del Norte had 7,873 beneficiaries receiving around PHP27.5 million, Agusan del Sur had 7,300 beneficiaries with a payout of PHP25.5 million, and Dinagat Islands had 1,344 beneficiaries receiving PHP4.7 million. Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur also saw significant payouts, with 6,024 beneficiaries receiving PHP21 million and 5,455 beneficiaries getting PHP19 million, respectively.
The program involved massive reforestation efforts. In Agusan del Norte, beneficiaries planted over 109,545 bamboo and fruit-bearing and non-fruit-bearing trees across 274 hectares of flood and landslide-prone areas. Agusan del Sur saw the planting of 10,000 rubber tree seedlings, 10,000 cacao trees, 163,800 seedlings of endemic trees across 383.3 hectares, and 50,000 banana suckers in 100 hectares of upland community farms. Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur also witnessed significant planting activities, including bamboo seedlings and fruit-bearing trees. In Dinagat Islands, the propagation of 36,000 seedlings of indigenous trees was carried out, with a total of 12 hectares of watershed areas planted with 7,200 seedlings of indigenous trees.