Manila: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday led the distribution of emergency cash transfer (ECT) to families in Davao and Soccsksargen regions affected by the magnitude 7.8 Mindanao earthquake. In Davao Occidental, Gatchalian visited the municipality of Jose Abad Santos, where nearly 1,700 beneficiaries received the DSWD's emergency cash aid. On nearby Balut Island in the municipality of Sarangani, 7,101 families also received their ECT assistance. Of this figure, 4,668 families whose houses were totally damaged received PHP10,244 each, while 2,433 families whose houses were partially damaged received PHP5,122 each.
According to Philippines News Agency, in an ambush interview in Balut Island, Gatchalian explained to reporters that the ECT is intended to help affected families begin rebuilding their lives following the devastating earthquake. "Ang layunin natin is makabalik sila sa sense of normalcy. Sana, hindi man natin mapalitan lahat (ng nasirang bahay), ay makapagsimula sila doon sa ibibigay natin na PHP5,000 for partially damaged and PHP10,000 for totally damaged. Part ito ng process natin na nagsimula sa relief, at ngayon naman ay cash assistance (The goal is to bring them back to a sense of normalcy. Hopefully, while we cannot replace their houses, they can start through the PHP5,000 we gave for partially damaged and PHP10,000 for totally damaged. This is part of the process, where we started with relief and now to cash assistance),' he said.
The DSWD chief emphasized that the Department's assistance will continue beyond the distribution of relief goods and emergency cash aid, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. 'Ang instruction ng Pangulo, ang DSWD hindi puwedeng umalis hanggang sa maka-recover ang ating mga kababayan. Importante na yung recovery stage, tuloy-tuloy yon (The President instructed the DSWD not to leave until our countrymen have recovered. It is important that the recovery stage is continuous),' Gatchalian said. He added that the Department remains in close coordination with other government agencies to ensure that affected families receive comprehensive support throughout the recovery process.
In Glan, Sarangani, more than 2,000 beneficiaries also received the ECT assistance. Families whose houses were totally damaged were given PHP10,350 each, while those whose houses sustained partial damage received PHP5,175. Gatchalian also led the distribution of cash assistance in Malapatan town in Sarangani, and General Santos City. A total of 13,784 families received the ECT aid in Malapatan, while more than 5,000 families received ECT assistance in General Santos City.
Based on initial data, more than 139,000 affected families from Davao Region and Soccsksargen are expected to receive ECT, with an estimated budgetary allocation of more than PHP799.59 million, starting this week. Prior to the rollout of the ECT, the DSWD had already extended immediate relief assistance to affected families across Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), distributing a total of 520,722 family food packs, 13,125 non-food items and 10,364 ready-to-eat food boxes as of June 22.
