NEARLY 2,000 tourism workers in northern Cebu received a total of P18.16 million in emergency cash aid after their livelihoods were disrupted by the magnitude-6.9 earthquake on Sept. 30, 2025.
In a statement, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD 7) said the assistance, distributed through the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program, aims to provide immediate financial relief to workers whose incomes were cut off by the disaster. Each beneficiary received P10,125.
“The ECT payout, implemented in partnership with the Department of Tourism, aims to ease the financial burden on tourism workers whose incomes were disrupted by the disaster,” reads a portion of the statement.
The distribution was held at the Bogo City Sports Complex.
DSWD 7 Director Shalaine Marie Lucero said the tourism industry requires sustained support as it was among the sectors most severely affected by the quake.
“Workers in the tourism industry across northern Cebu have been among the hardest hit by the earthquake,” Lucero said.
“This emergency cash assistance offers them a vital boost — a firm first step toward rebuilding their livelihoods, restoring hope, and helping our communities rise together from this disaster,” she added.
A total of 1,974 beneficiaries from seven municipalities and one city received the assistance, namely: San Remigio (439), Medellin (381), Daanbantayan (393), Santa Fe (97), Bantayan (83), Tabuelan (19), Borbon (26) and Bogo City (356).
/ CDF