ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Feb. 10 (PIA) – A total of 12,573 Basileños received assistance from DSWD last year through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program.
Ms. Aisyl Sagoso-Atal, Social Welfare Officer II of DSWD Field Office -IX explained during the PIA regular radio program at DXNO Radyo Komunidad recently that their office catered 12,573 clients of which 1,111 are regular clients of DSWD and they disbursed fund with a total of P37, 228, 600 for the year 2021.
Ms. Sagoso emphasized that the said assistance was provided to all beneficiaries through the Department of Social Welfare and Development – Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program to support the recovery of individuals and families from unexpected crisis situation.
“Ang assistance na binibigay natin ay sa pamamagitan ng ating AICS Program upang matulungan ang ating mga kababayan na naaepektuhan ng crisis lalong lalo na yong mga indigent individuals o families”, she said.
Ms. Sagoso also discussed and explained other services under the AICS program namely transportation assistance, medical assistance, burial assistance, educational assistance, food assistance and other cash assistance for other support services.
The transportation assistance is the assistance given for purchase or payment of transport (air/sea/land) tickets and/or expenses to enable the clients to return to their home provinces permanently or seek further medical interventions in another place or to attend to an emergency concerns such as death, care or other emergency or critical situations of family members, relatives, or other individuals in need.
Medical assistance is the assistance given to help shoulder hospitalization expenses, cost of medicines, other medical treatment or procedures such as implants, laboratory procedures including but not limited to computerized tomography (CT) scan, electrocardiogram (ECG) echocardiogram (2D Echo), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and provision of assistive device. Other medical expenses such as professional fees may be covered.
Burial assistance is the assistance to defray funeral related expenses including but not limited to expenses in bringing the remains to the residence of the deceased and/or burial site in accordance with existing customary practices of the family especially among Indigenous Peoples and Moros.
Educational assistance is a form of assistance given to eligible students to help defray school expenses and/or cost of sending students/children to school such as school fees, supplies, projects, allowance and other related expenses which will be provided once in a school/academic year for students, with priority shall be given to students working in public high school, vocational technological schools, state colleges and universities. A maximum of three (3) children per family shall be entitled to the assistance.
Food assistance which is the provision of assistance to clients in need for the maximum of 10 days for an amount of at least P80.00 per meals per individual. It includes hot meals, food/meal allowance, or cash equivalent to the cost of the required hot meals and/or food packs.
Cash assistance for other support services is also given in the form of outright cash to individuals and families extremely difficult circumstances in which the need does not fall on the above-mentioned assistance such as but not limited to, a child victim of online sexual exploitation and other sexual abuse cases, families of killed in action or wounded in action uniformed personnel (police or soldiers), repatriated or deported overseas Filipinos, Persons Living with HIV, rescued individuals and families against abuse, family and children of PWUD, survivor-victims of violence against women and children, rebel returnees, victims of fire, armed conflict and other incidents/occurrence putting those affected in crisis situation as may be justified by the social worker or through a case consultation or conference.
Furthermore, Ms Sagoso also explained that aside from the mentioned assistance, DSWD also offers Psychosocial Intervention which is a set of interventions that is non-biometrical means to positively alter a persons behavior and relationship with the society in order to reduce the impact of stress brought by a crisis. It may be provided with but not limited to cognitive or behavioral therapies.
Ms. Sagoso said that DSWD also provides Referral for Other Services or this are assistance which are not available at the Crisis Intervention Unit or Social Welfare and Development Satellite Office but can be accessed from resources and/or networks.
With all of these assistance that DSWD offers to their clients, Ms. Sagoso emphasized to those who want to avail for the program that they shall bring and submit complete documentary requirements to DSWD in order to facilitate the processing of their assistance.
Clients may visit DSWD Field Office IX in Isabela City to know more about the documentary requirements of different assistance under AICS. (NBE/NDR/PIA9-Basilan)
