A total of 2,235 displaced families in Happyland, Tondo, Manila received various forms of government assistance to help them recover and rebuild their lives, including the provision of emergency cash transfer (ECT) by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Thursday, September 18, presided over the ECT payout amounting to more than P33-million for the evacuees staying at the Gen. Vicente Lim Elementary School.
The Chief Executive emphasized that the aid is meant to help families prioritize their most urgent needs in the aftermath of the massive fire that razed several homes in Tondo last September 13.
Each family received P15,019 in cash aid along with a box of family food pack (FFP) and hygiene kit from the DSWD.
The ECT is an adaptive strategy of the DSWD that bridges the gap between immediate disaster relief and early recovery by providing unconditional cash assistance to disaster-affected families.
To ensure the comfort and food needs of evacuees, the DSWD also deployed two mobile kitchen units from its National Capital Region (NCR) and Calabarzon field offices to serve hot and nourishing meals.
After the ECT payout, President Marcos visited the Antonio Villegas High School, where other displaced families are temporarily staying. The Chief Executive personally checked on their condition and assured them of sustained government support.
Joining the President and Secretary Gatchalian were Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Vice Mayor Chi Atienza, and 1st District Rep. Ernix Dionisio, along with DSWD Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe and Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, who helped oversee the smooth and orderly distribution of aid.
