The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Davao Region (DSWD-11) said Thursday it has distributed more than PHP3 million in emergency cash transfer (ECT) assistance to families affected by the recent earthquake in Davao Occidental.
A total of 453 beneficiaries received financial aid on July 8 in Barangay Malalan in the town of Jose Abad Santos (JAS). Of these, 163 families with totally damaged houses received PHP10,244 each, amounting to PHP1.66 million, while 290 families with partially damaged houses received PHP5,122 each, totaling PHP1.4 million.
The ECT program forms part of DSWD’s early recovery interventions, designed to help disaster-hit families meet immediate needs, begin rebuilding their homes, and restore their daily lives.
Meanwhile, the DSWD-11 “Angels in Red Vests” (ARVs) continue to extend psychosocial support to children in evacuation centers in JAS. The ARVs conducted Kumustahan (check-in sessions) and games in Barangays Butuan and Sugal, reaching 108 internally displaced children.
In Barangay Butuan, 43 children aged 6 to 12 joined educational games and activities that provided a safe space to express their feelings and recover from trauma. In Barangay Sugal, 65 children received psychosocial interventions aimed at strengthening emotional well-being.
“True recovery is measured not only by the aid distributed but also by the restoration of hope, security, and courage among children who need care the most,” DSWD-11 said in a statement. (PNA)
