(UPDATE) The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced on Sunday that it will transition to providing cash assistance to help quake-affected families.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who visited Glan, Sarangani, stressed that all families affected by the earthquake will be given cash assistance.
Gatchalian checked the agency’s disaster response operations following the 7.8 magnitude temblor that shook southern Mindanao.
The agency said 23,000 families have been provided initial assistance.
Gatchalian said the distribution of family food packs will continue for two to three weeks to augment the resources of local government units (LGUs).
“I spoke with other mayors — made it clear that we need to start shifting from food to cash assistance because not every need can be found in a single relief box,” he said.
“We know they have other needs, such as repairing their homes or buying whatever items that are not in that box,” the DSWD chief added.
As soon as the DSWD gets the list from concerned local governments, it would immediately release the cash aid to the affected families “because that is the order of the President.”
