Bulacan resident dies waiting for DSWD cash aid

A resident of Hagonoy, Bulacan died on Saturday while waiting in line for the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium.

The victim was identified as Walfredo Ople Catajan Jr., a resident of Barangay Sto. Niño. According to initial reports, Catajan died due to a lingering heart condition while awaiting assistance under the DSWD’s emergency cash distribution program.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Bulacan Provincial Administrator Anne Constantino said she had visited the wake of the deceased.

"Labis na kalungkutan ang ating nadama dahil hindi inaasahan at walang may kagustuhan sa naging kaganapan. Ang layunin natin sa bawat programa ay maibsan ang pang araw-araw na pasanin ng ating mga kababayan lalu’t higit ang mga maralita," she wrote.
(We felt deep sadness because the incident was unexpected and unwanted. The goal of every program is to ease the daily burden of our fellow citizens, especially the poor.)

Constantino added:
"Higit po sa panandaliang ayuda ang mabubuting pangarap ng ating Gobernador Daniel R. Fernando para sa ating mga kababayan. Kaisa niya tayo sa dalangin na sumapit nawa ang panahon na masumpungan natin ang isang lipunan kung saan may sapat na oportunidad at probisyon para sa bawat pamilyang Bulakenyo."
(Governor Daniel R. Fernando’s vision for our people goes beyond short-term aid. We join him in prayer that the time may come when we find a society where every Bulakenyo family has access to sufficient opportunity and provision.)