CEBU CITY, Philippines?Christmas came early for almost 2,000 families in Bantayan Island after presidential aspirant Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro handed out cash to them on Thursday.

Teodoro, concurrent chair of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), made a one-hour visit to the island, which is composed of the municipalities of Bantayan, Santa Fe, and Madridejos, to distribute P6.6 million in cash.

Teodoro gave out P6,000 to each family whose house was destroyed and P3,000 to those with damaged houses.

Bantayan Mayor Geralyn Escario-Cañares said Teodoro also distributed P10,000 in cash to families of those who died during Typhoon Frank.

In a program held at the Bantayan cultural center, Teodoro, assisted by local officials, gave the cash to at least 20 of the 2,000 beneficiaries.

The families were identified through the municipal social welfare offices of the three towns.

Cañares said the assistance came from the NDCC and the Department of Social Welfare and Development in explaining why Teodoro was the one who made the distribution.

She said Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral could not make it to the ceremony.

Cañares said it took time for the cash to be distributed because of red tape.

At the program, Teodoro, speaking in Cebuano, said he would work with Tourism Secretary Ace Durano in promoting Bantayan as a premier tourist destination in Asia.