The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Caraga Region (DSWD-13) has disbursed some PHP1.3 billion worth of financial aid to beneficiaries of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program in 2023.

In a report on Tuesday, DSWD-13 said there were at least 264,903 beneficiaries of the AICS program in the region during the period.

“Almost 42 percent of the total number of beneficiaries, or 109,073, were assisted through AICS with their medical needs,” it said.

Ana Semacio, head of the DSWD-13 Crisis Intervention Section (CIS), said the medical needs of the beneficiaries included “payments of hospital bills, laboratory expenses, hemodialysis, chemotherapy, provision of medical equipment, and blood transfusion,” among others.

Semacio said the AICS program is extended to all individuals who are in crisis, including those who have exhausted all their resources due to the gravity of their medical situation.

The AICS is being implemented by the DSWD through the CIS, and is considered the government’s social safety mechanism to assist families and individuals confronted with crises and financial deficiencies. (PNA)