Family of man who died taking down billboard in Albay to get DSWD aid

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol has pledged assistance for the family of the 45-year-old man who died while taking down a beauty salon signage in Tabaco City hours before Typhoon Nona hit the province. DSWD-Bicol regional director Arnel Garcia said on Tuesday, they have been coordinating with the Tabaco City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to assess the needs of the family of the victim. “We usually give burial or cash assistance for cases like this,” Garcia said. At around 11:40 a.m. on Monday, Allan Padilla, of Barangay Bangkilingan, fell down while removing the lighted signage of Cut Salon – set up on a third floor ledge of the building located along Ziga Avenue in the city, amid massive preparation in Albay for the then approaching Typhoon Nona. Reports said that Padilla was electrocuted while dismantling the signage and fell down some 30 feet to the ground. He died while undergoing treatment at a local hospital but it was due to a head injury, not by electrocution, as earlier reported, said Senior Inspector Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson of Bicol police. Cedric Daep, head of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, reiterated the fall of Padilla was an “accident” that happened before Nona made landfall in Bicol and could not be considered as a typhoon-related casualty. “The assistance can’t be charged to the calamity fund. We can’t justify it since it is not related to flood, winds, landslide or lahar,” said Daep. However, he said, the family of Padilla could be given special assistance through an Albay provincial board resolution.  SFM