Displaced families in Bicol start getting aid to ‘rebuild homes’

MANILA, Philippines — The government has handed out financial assistance to affected families in the Bicol Region to help them “rebuild their homes” damaged during the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) on Oct. 22.

The affected families in Masbate province were the first to get the aid for a total of P3.290 million extended by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Of the amount, P2.155 million was provided to 416 beneficiaries in Cawayan town and P1.135 million to 216 families in Pio V. Corpuz town.

READ: Reviving Bicol recovery plan

A beneficiary with destroyed houses will receive P10,000 while those with partially damaged houses will be given P5,000 each.

DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the financial assistance was provided under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.

“Through the financial assistance, we aim to ease the burden of recovery, ensuring that the families affected by … Kristine have the resources needed to repair and rebuild their damaged houses,” Dumlao said.

Relief items such as food packs were also provided to other areas in Bicol, including Camarines Sur, the region’s worst-hit province, where most areas remained flooded, such as some parts of its economic center, Naga City.

Dumlao said 1,200 boxes of family food packs were distributed to residents of Bato and Sipocot towns in Camarines Sur.

Sleeping kits were provided to 60 displaced families in the municipality of Bula.

President Marcos, in a visit last week to Naga City, handed a total of P80 million to officials of the city and the provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay to provide immediate relief to flood-hit localities. —Dempsey Reyes