More than 400 security guards, janitors, dishwashers, and other utility personnel of the House of Representatives received aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The aid is part of Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP) program.
Held recently at the People’s Center of the House, the 452 beneficiaries expressed gratitude for having experienced said initiative inside the House for the first time.
Apart from the DSWD financial subsidy amounting to ₱10,000.00, each received 10 kilos of rice from the Office of Speaker — a most welcome relief from their piling up costs of the holiday season.
“This activity recognizes the valuable contributions of said workers to the daily operations of the House, ensuring that all its facilities function at its best.
“Hence, it is only fitting that they too, experience and benefit from government programs, and are not left behind,” said the House leadership.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development released over P480 million in cash aid during the simultaneous emergency cash transfer (ECT) payouts in the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, and Davao Oriental from December 13 to 21.
Thus reported Disaster Response Management Group Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, noting that a total of 58,489 families affected by a low pressure area (LPA) in the Davao region were given cash aid during the week-long ECT payout.
“This is among our continuous efforts to support the recovery and rebuilding of the disaster-affected communities in the Davao Region following the effects of the trough of a low pressure area that brought heavy to intense rain over the region,” Dumlao, who is also the DSWD’s spokesperson, said.
Top DRMG officials led by Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe with Asst. Secretary Dumlao, Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) Leo Quintilla, and Director Michael Cristopher Mathay presided the payout activities.
This joint effort from the DRMG’s executives, who flew all the way to the region, was aimed at fast-tracking the disbursement of cash aid to affected families and individuals.
“At this point, we need more force multipliers to deliver immediate help to our kababayan in need, and assure them that the DSWD, under the leadership of our Secretary Rex Gatchalian, is in full-force in ensuring that no one is left behind in times of emergencies,” Dumlao said.
The ECT is an adaptive strategy for bridging the gaps between immediate disaster relief, humanitarian response, and early recovery support through outright cash assistance for disaster-affected families in areas under a state of calamity.
The outright cash aid capacitates the beneficiaries to purchase their priority needs and rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
