The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed financial assistance to families in Baybay City, Leyte as part of the government’s response to those badly affected by Tropical Depression Agaton.

The DSWD reported on Tuesday that PHP10,000 cash aid has been given to each of the 31 families whose members died due to a landslide while PHP5,000 was released to 52 families whose houses were covered by the massive soil erosion.

“Overall, the DSWD has distributed PHP570,000 to victims of Tropical Depression Agaton under our assistance to individuals in crisis situations,” DSWD regional information officer Joshua Kempis said in a phone interview.

The DSWD said the cash aid is just an initial release to victims in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to prioritize the distribution of cash assistance to those staying in evacuation centers.

On April 15, the President did an aerial inspection of Baybay City and visited several landslide victims. He promised the government would provide emergency food and shelter assistance to “Agaton” victims.

The DSWD in Eastern Visayas has released 25,548 family food packs (FFPs) worth PHP16.31 million as an initial assistance to disaster victims.

Kempis said 3,600 food packs were released in Guiuan, Eastern Samar; 12,000 in Abuyog, 4,823 in Mahaplag, 2,000 in Baybay City, 1,800 in Inopacan, and 1,325 in Javier town, all in Leyte province.

Each food pack for one family, costing PHP500, contains six kilograms of rice, four cans of corned beef, two cans of tuna flakes, two cans of sardines, five sachets of coffee, and five sachets of energy drink.

Under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, the local governments are the first responders, and the DSWD is tasked to augment the response efforts after disasters. (PNA)