ILOILO – The provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) will be giving P10,000 in financial assistance to families with totally damaged houses after a tornado hit barangays Alegre and San Nicolas in Oton town on Tuesday morning, Jan. 3.
Ann Rapunzel Ganzon, PSWDO spokesperson, said once the victims have submitted the requirements, the office would immediately release the cash aid under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.
For families with partially damaged homes, Ganzon said they will reassess the total number of houses to determine the amount of financial assistance.
“Ang partially sa subong ginahulat pa gihapon kay ginapa-reassess and validate ang report,” she said.
The PSWDO spokesperson said the amount should be spent on materials needed to rebuild their houses.
As of this writing, Ganzon said there are still tornado-affected families in evacuation centers like barangay halls and covered gyms.
Based on PSWDO data, a total of 161 families, or 805 individuals, were affected by the tornado.
Particularly, 21 houses were totally damaged, and 140 houses were partially damaged.
She added that further validation by the Oton Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) is still ongoing.
Yesterday, the PSWDO sent initial assistance to affected families, which included 40 boxes of assorted noodles, 18 boxes of canned goods, and 1,000 pieces or sachets of coffee.
The PSWDO headed by Sarah M. Barayuga also plans to conduct psychological first aid for affected families to help them cope mentally and become more resilient./PN
