Department of Social Welfare and Development Asst. Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez on Thursday said the agency continues to conduct simultaneous payout under the Emergency Cash Transfer to help families affected by the shear line that hit Davao Region in January.

On Wednesday (7 February), a payout was held in Carmen, Davao del Norte where some 1,686 families received their cash aid from DSWD Field Office-11 (Davao Region).

“The continuing cash aid payout is part of the commitment of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian to provide all forms of assistance to families affected by the weather disturbance to enable them to resume their normal lives,” Asst. Sec. Lopez, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.

He added the Department is now transitioning from food to cash aid, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to give cash aid to the affected families on top of the food assistance.

Each affected family received P9,960 with a total of P16,792,560 disbursed for the Wednesday cash aid distribution, according to the DSWD spokesperson.

During the payout at the municipal gym, Daisy Bantique was teary-eyed upon receiving her cash aid from a staff of the Davao Region Field Office.

“Dako kaayo ni og tabang sa amoa kay wala jud miy nasalbar sa amoang mga balay kay ang tubig niabot diri sa ilok, ang uban gani lampas na gyud sa atop(This is a big help to us especially that we were not able to save our things from our house.

The water was armpit level, even reaching the roof in some areas.),” Bantique narrated.

Bantique said she will use the cash aid to buy food, water and other basic needs of her family.

Aside from Carmen town, the DSWD Davao Field Office also distributed ECT to some 500 families from Barangay Cabayangan in Braulio E. Dujali, Davao Del Norte last February 6. Each family received Php9,960 utilizing a budget of more than Php4.98 million.

The DSWD official said the ECT payout will continue until all families have been assisted.