APPROXIMATELY P700 million in assistance has been provided to families affected by calamities, an official from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) said.
Lawyer Vanesa Goc-ong, regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao), speaking during the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday morning, March 4, 2024, at SM City Davao, said the aid extended to those impacted by the low-pressure area (LPA) trough, shear line, and Masara landslide incident.
As of March 2, 2024, the total assistance amounted to P723,382,182.42. This includes P318,431,683.42 for family food packs (FFPs), P7,073,859.00 for non-food items (NFIs), and P397,876,640.00 for cash assistance.
The distribution of FFPs reached 474,523 individuals, with 329,085 affected by the LPA trough, 145,139 by the shear line, and 299 from the Masara landslide.
NFIs, comprising family kits, modular tents, sleeping kits, hygiene kits, jerry cans, family tents, and kitchen kits, were provided to around 3,322 affected families. Of this, 1,710 were from the Masara Landslide, 856 from the LPA trough, and 756 from the shear line.
With floodwaters receding and stores reopening, DSWD has shifted from food and non-food assistance to cash aid.
Goc-ong explained, "We have now transitioned from food to cash, our cash assistance is in the form of Emergency Cash Transfer. We have started in Davao del Norte."
Cash assistance has already been distributed to 39,948 families, including 14 from the Shear Line, 25 from the Masara landslide, and 39,909 from Davao del Norte under the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program.
The total amount disbursed under ECT for Davao del Norte is P397,493,640.00.
“We are about nearing 70 percent for Davao del Norte accomplishment, and as of today, we started in Davao Oriental,” Goc-ong said.
Davao Oriental will be followed by Davao de Oro, with ECT distributed based on a formula considering designated days, minimum wage rates in the Davao Region, and a 75 percent multiplier.
She added that recipients would receive P9,960 for a 30-day computation and half of that amount for a 15-day computation.
The Emergency Cash Transfer aims to empower families to decide how best to utilize the funds, whether for their homes, repairs, or essential needs. RGP
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