ILOILO City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 has released a total of P2.3 billion in Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) to 482,593 beneficiaries in the region last year.
Here is the breakdown of the respective assistance and the number of beneficiaries:
* P735.6-million medical assistance – 78,844 individuals
* P894.3-million cash assistance – 232,829 individuals
* P156.9-million burial assistance – 17,405 individuals
* P411.6-million food assistance – 133,252 individuals
* P112.6-million educational assistance – 20,209 individuals
* P290,500 transportation assistance – 54 individuals
Atty. Carmelo N. Nochete, director of DSWD-6, thanked the regional office’s staff and personnel for facilitating the immediate release of the different aids to Western Visayans.
“We salute our staff who braved disasters and calamities as well as emergencies to help the Ilonggos. This achievement is a product of hard work of our staff,” he said. “Sa subong, padayun ang pagbulig sang amon opisina sa mga ara sa krisis nga sitwasyon.”
Nochete added that currently the DSWD-6 operates its Action Center through provision of guarantee letters for those in need of medical and burial assistance.
Those needing cash assistance are undergoing assessment and are scheduled for payout.
“Rest assured that our AICS teams, from GT Mall-Molo, Iloilo City and those in the Social Welfare and Development Actions (SWAD) teams in the provinces are ensuring client-friendly services for the people of Western Visayas,” the DSWD-6 chief added.
For her part, Beverly Salazar, head of Crisis Intervention Section, said the office has exceeded target clients to be served for 2023.
“This is due to proactive provision of social assistance to victims of abuse, trafficking, displaced workers, overseas Filipino workers from Israel and their families and disasters that reached 232,829,” said Salazar.
She added that in order to help mitigate hunger, food assistance is also provided to clients from Malasakit Centers.
“The provision of medical assistance also helps augment in the hospital bills, chemo session of cancer patients and dialysis of kidney patients,” she said. (With a report from DSWD-6)/PN
