Sixty-seven displaced tourism workers in Agusan del Sur province received emergency cash transfer (ECT) aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Caraga Region (DSWD-13) on Monday.

Each beneficiary received PHP5,044 in cash.

“Through the ECT program, the tourism workers whose lives were impacted by the flooding (in Agusan del Sur) earlier this year will provide a vital lifeline and support as they rebuild their lives,” DSWD-13 said in a statement.

In an interview on Monday, “Alice” recounted the struggles her family experienced after the natural disaster that hit the tourism establishment where she worked.

“Life was so hard then for us and I am thankful to the DSWD, the DOT-13 (Department of Tourism), and the provincial government for this assistance,” Alice said.

Agusan del Sur declared a state of calamity on Feb. 1 after 12 towns and 110 villages in Agusan del Sur were affected by floods and landslides two days earlier.

Some 49,000 families were directly affected, including about 32,000 who fled to evacuation centers. (PNA)