The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) continues to distribute assistance to some 7,436 families affected by last week’s flooding due to Super Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon (habagat) in different provinces in the region.
In an interview on Monday, Carl James Cabarles, DSWD-5 disaster risk reduction management division information officer, said they have provided the households with food packs and non-food items worth PHP2.99 million, and cash assistance worth PHP535,000 through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.
“We are coordinating and collaborating with local government units (LGUs) to assess and monitor the situation of families affected by the disaster. We already distributed 4,111 food packs to the affected families, or a total of PHP2.99 million worth of assistance to families from Albay, Sorsogon, and Camarines Sur. For other provinces, we are still waiting for the LGUs’ requests for resource augmentation, but we are ready to provide the needed assistance,” Cabarles said.
He said DSWD Bicol Regional Director Norman Laurio ensures a prompt and efficient response to families and individuals affected by the typhoon and southwest monsoon in the region.
Cabarles said DSWD-Bicol has 154,942 standby food packs worth PHP112 million ready for distribution in case LGUs need additional augmentation and a PHP5 million standby fund.
For the AICS, Leslie Benbing, DSWD-Bicol crisis intervention section information officer, said 83 families were provided with a total cash assistance of PHP535,000 for both the totally and partially damaged houses.
“For the totally damaged houses, families affected received PHP10,000 while for those houses that are partially damaged, they received PHP5,000 assistance,” she said.
The 83 families are from Sipocot, Camarines Sur; Pio Duran, Albay; Magallanes, Sorsogon; and Juban, Sorsogon.
“Ongoing assessments were being conducted, and we are still waiting for reports from other local government units. We also have a scheduled payout on July 31,” Benbing added. (PNA)
