GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 11 Nov) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) has so far released around P211 million in emergency financial assistance this year to families and individuals in “crisis situation.”
Residents salvage what they can after a fire in General Santos City. MindaNews file photo
Cezario Joel Espejo, DSWD-Region 12 director, said Wednesday the one-time cash grants were received by over 45,000 poor residents who qualified for the agency’s support or assistance to individuals in crisis situations (AICS).
“These are residents who are in dire need of immediate government assistance due to unforeseen circumstances,” he said in a statement.
AICS is a continuing emergency government initiative that serves as a social safety net or a stop-gap measure to support the recovery of individuals and families suffering from unexpected life events or crisis.
The beneficiaries are residents belonging to the informal sector and those classified as poor, marginalized, vulnerable and disadvantaged.
Espejo said the agency specifically released a total of P180 million in cash assistance and P31.7 million in food relief to the affected residents from January to September.
He said some P155.6 million was disbursed for medical assistance, P18.2 million for funeral support and P6.4 million for the cash assistance to those who were affected by calamities, among them fire incidents.
The agency also distributed a total of 65,428 boxes of family food packs to the beneficiaries of the calamity assistance, he said.
“Immediate help is necessary. The government is committed to standing with the people in need when disasters strike and help them cope with their situations,” Espejo said.
He lauded the local government units (LGU) in the region for assisting their field workers in ensuring the successful implementation of the program.
Early this month, some 300 families who were affected by fire incidents and storm surges in Barangays Dadiangas West and South here received P3,000 each in emergency cash assistance and a box of family food packs from the DSWD-12.
In coordination with concerned LGUs, Espejo added that they are continually evaluating residents who are in need for emergency support under the AICS. (MindaNews)
