DSWD delivers P6.6 million food packs, financial aid to island town

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol Region on Sunday handed over P6,699,000 worth of food packs and financial assistance to more than 2,000 families in the island town of Rapu-Rapu which were affected by the shear line.

Norman S. Laurio , DSWD Bicol regional director, along with his staff personally handover the financial assistance and food packs to 2,233 beneficiaries from the barangays of Lagundi, Sagrada, Bilbao, Caracaran, San Ramon, Liguan, Calanaga Bogtong and Dapdap in the island town of Rapu-Rapu.

Marygizelle Mesa, DSWD Bicol spokesperson, said at least 2,233 beneficiaries were given P3,000 cash assistance as part of its AICS financial assistance payout covering nine barangays hardly affected by shear line.

The bad weather disturbance in Bicol brought by shear line and northeast monsoon took place from December up to January this year.

The affected families, mostly fishermen, were given cash assistance by DSWD including food packs.

“The payout was intended to families badly affected by heavy and continuous rainfall due to shear line, specifically the fishermen whose source of livelihood severely affected,” Mesa said.

The payout according to Mesa, will be done for five days beginning February 5 until 10, this year in an effort to provide the financial assistance and food packs to cover the 2,033 families this week.

Laurio said that the social welfare department is ready to provide assistance to affected families whenever the need arises.

Earlier this month, the DSWD Bicol also provided assistance to the provinces of Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Sorsogon and Albay.

The town of Pandan in Catanduanes was provided with P360, 798 worth of food stuffs as relief assistance intended to the displaced families there.

The government agency also provided food packs good to a total of 13,666 families as relief goods. The packs were intended to augment the ones delivered to the LGUs of Camalig and Polangui in Albay; Daet, Basud and Mercedes in Camarines Norte; San Miguel, Viga, Panganiban, Baras, Pandan and Bato in Catanduanes; Prieto Diaz, Magallanes in Sorsogon province; Buhi, Nabua, Sagñay;

Iriga, Pili, Goa and Canaman in Camarines Sur and Uson and Milagros in Masbate province with a total amount of P7,774,474.90.

For non-food items, the DSWD also provided 49 hygiene kits worth P73,479.50, 31 sleeping kits worth P23,490.25 and 32 family kits worth P73,588.00 amounting to a total of P170,557.75. The DSWD Bicol total cost of assistance amounts to P 7,945,032.65.

For the local government units (LGUs) of Tinambac, Calabanga, Siruma in Camarines Sur; San Miguel and Gigmoto towns in Catanduanes the total cost of humanitarian assistance given them has totalled to P8,305,830.65.

For January alone, the Office of Civil Defense reported 14 deaths from the provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon and Naga City.

While three fishermen were reported remain missing. They are from the town of Pandan in Catanduanes province and one from Matnog town in Sorsogon.