BANGUED, Abra(PIA) –- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under its  Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program  has  already released  more than Php 12 million  to   people  in the Cordillera region affected by the July 27 earthquake especially in Abra.

DSWD Assistant Secretary and concurrent DSWD-CAR Regional Director Arnel Garcia reported during the Emergency Response Cluster meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in the province that as of Aug. 3, 2022, the total cash aid to individuals in crisis situation. reached P12, 191,930.68 with Abra getting the bulk with P12, 020,000.00 for 2,303 families.

Out of the families assisted in Abra, 2,099 of them were reported with partially damaged houses while 46 were with totally damaged houses.

Also given cash assistance under the program are 198 injured Abrenians.

The AICS also covers cash assistance for the families of the six dead recorded totaling to P75, 000.

Other AICs recipients in CAR are 29 families in Mountain Province with P150, 000.00; 13 in Benguet (P155, 00.00); and one each in Baguio City and Ifugao.

“8:43 po tumama iyong earthquake. Immediately in the afternoon of that same day, namigay na tayo agad ng AICS assistance sa mga naapektuhan,” Garcia reported.

 “Patuloy pang tataas ang amount na ating binibigay sa mga susunod na araw sa ilalim ng AICS para mabigyan ng tulong ang mga taga-Cordillera na nangangailangan ngayon,” he  said.

 He assured that their office will double their efforts to expedite the   releasing of cash assistance to quake- hit Cordillerans.

According to the DSWD, the AICS is a stop-gap mechanism to support the recovery of individuals and families from unexpected crisis such as illness or death of a family member, and other crisis situations. (JDP/CAGT – PIA CAR, Abra)