The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday said it has so far spent some PHP1.2 million worth of assistance for the victims of Typhoon “Quinta.”

The amount is accumulated from funds from DSWD, non-government organizations, and local government units.

In a virtual briefing, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said the standby funds of their field offices have climbed to PHP898,082,474.

“Patuloy pa rin ang pag-alalay sa ating mga lokal na pamahalaan upang matugunan nila ang kanilang tungkulin sa mga mamayanan (Efforts to augment the stockpiles of our local government units are still ongoing so they can fulfill their duties to the people),” Bautista said, adding that DSWD personnel have also stayed in evacuation centers to make sure that physical distancing and other basic protocols are observed.

DSWD said it also assists LGUs in checking the damage brought about by the typhoon to gauge the necessary financial assistance needed, he said.

As of Oct. 29, at least 110,000 families or 500,000 individuals in 2,200 barangays have been affected by Quinta.

These are in regions Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.

Bautista said of that figure, 7,280 families or 27,550 individuals are staying in 279 evacuation centers of affected regions.

Meanwhile, Bautista expressed elation over the House of Representatives’ transmittal of its version of the General Appropriations Bill to the Senate.

The PHP4.5-trillion 2021 budget is expected to be delivered to President Rodrigo Duterte’s table before Christmas.

“Hangad namin ay agad din itong maaprabuhan sa lebel ng ating Senado. Sina-salamin nito ang pangako ng gobyerno na mapalakas ang pagtugon sa panukalang pasiglahin ang ekonomiya at makabawi ito sa epekto ng Covid-19 (We also hope for the immediate approval of the Senate. This is relative to the government’s promise to bring back the economy’s vitality and fully recover from the effects of Covid-19), he added.

Under DSWD’s proposed PHP171.2-billion budget for 2021, Bautista said they can continually finance their programs, including the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, resource augmentation, sustainable livelihood program, Kalahi-CIDSS, social pension for indigent senior citizens, and supplementary feeding, among others. (PNA)