The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided a total of PHP361.12 million to 14,738 individuals under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program in the first month of 2026.

Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response and Management Group said this only covers clients assisted at the Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU) office located in Paragon Place.

“Based on our record, more than 14,000 beneficiaries were granted assistance in our Commonwealth Avenue satellite office in January 2026 alone. Ang iba sa kanila ay galing pa sa ibang rehiyon, hindi lamang sa National Capital Region (Some of them even came from other regions besides NCR),” the DSWD’s spokesperson said in a news release on Thursday.

Of the total beneficiaries, 5,512 individuals were issued guarantee letters amounting to almost PHP321 million.

Meanwhile, 9,203 clients received outright cash assistance totaling around PHP40 million while 23 individuals were assisted through referral services.

According to the DSWD spokesperson, the most requested form of aid was medical assistance – with 12,857 individuals provided over PHP347 million.

The second most requested aid in January was food assistance, which served 1,080 individuals amounting to PHP6.8 million; followed by funeral assistance with 741 individuals granted around PHP6 million in assistance.

Additionally, 33 individuals received transportation assistance amounting to PHP189,000, while four individuals were granted cash relief assistance totaling PHP35,000.

Dumlao said clients who are in crisis may request aid from the DSWD’s CIUs, Social Welfare and Development offices, and satellite offices nationwide.

“Tuloy-tuloy po tayo sa pamamahagi ng AICS para po sa mga kababayan natin na nangangailangan ng agarang tulong para matugunan ‘yung kinakaharap nilang problema. Kailangan lang na kumpleto ang mga requirements na kanilang dala sa ating mga regional or satellite offices, at within the day ay makukuha na rin nila ang kanilang mga (The DSWD continues to provide AICS to our countrymen in need of immediate assistance. They just need to present complete requirements to our regional or satellite offices, and within the day, they can get their) guarantee letters or cash assistance,” she said.

The DSWD’s AICS program serves as a social safety net by offering direct financial aid, material assistance, or social services to help individuals meet essential needs such as food, medical care, education and burial expenses, regardless of social status, provided they are assessed by the social worker as qualified. (PNA)