VIGAN CITY, Aug. 2 (PIA) - - Through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed financial assistance worth P10,000 each to identified 335 families here on July 31.

Said recipients were the residents whose homes were damaged, either partially or totally, by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake on July 27.

Aside from this, the DSWD also gave the recipients family food packs containing food and non-food items.

She claimed that it was tough for her to make money when the pandemic struck and that it has become even harder for her now that her house has been damaged by the earthquake because she does not have extra money to pay for the repairs.

But with the assistance she received on Sunday, she said it will be of big help to start repairing the damaged parts of her house and eventually get back on their feet.

“Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa gobyerno lalo na sa DSWD para sa mga tulong na natanggap namin ngayon. Ibibili ko ng mga materyales sa pagsasaayos ng aming tahanan at kung meron pang matitira, idadagdag sa pang-araw-araw na gastusin,” Pagod said in an interview.

She added, “Sana marami pa kayong matulungan.”

As of 5 p.m. on Monday, the DSWD Field Office 1 has distributed a total of 1,623 food and non-food items to the affected families here and in the municipalities of Burgos, San Emilio, and Bantay. (JCR/JPD/ JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)