DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, March14 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 7 extended a total of P513,224 in financial assistance to the survivors and victims of the shooting incident in Brgy. San Isidro, Pamplona.

The assistance was provided to 21 survivors and eight bereaved families, of whom 21 are recuperating and are currently admitted at various hospitals while an affected individual is showing symptoms of trauma.

The reported affected individuals in the shooting incident were verified by the concerned local government units (LGUs) and DSWD7 through the Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Team in the province.

The SWAD Team has conducted intake interviews and provided initial psychological first aid to all the bereaved families and victim-survivors.

The families expressed that the department's presence has somehow relieved them of the pain caused by the tragic incident.

Referrals were also forwarded to the MALASAKIT Center for hospital bill coverage for some individuals admitted to the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital.

The DSWD7 has extended P250,000 in cash assistance for other support services, P90,000 in cash for food assistance, another P80,000 in cash for burial assistance, and P53,750 in cash for medical assistance.

This is based on the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center’s (DROMIC) database on the summary of assistance provided on the shooting incident.

The DSWD has also provided family food packs amounting to P28,474 and P11,000 for educational assistance.

The amount for the assistance provided is expected to increase following the continued coordination of the Field Office with the affected families.

There are still families that have yet to claim their aid following the submission of a few documentary requirements and medical check-ups.

It may be recalled that in the morning of March 4, a shooting incident occured at the residence of the late Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo while tending to his constituents' requests for medical assistance from the provincial government.

The incident led to Degamo's and eight others’ deaths and affected 21 other individuals.

The DSWD7 has released an official statement assuring the public that no beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or any DSWD staff was harmed during the incident.

The venue of the 4Ps registration was far from the incident site.

The DSWD7 has also paused the 4Ps registration to ensure the potential beneficiaries' and staff’s safety and to respect the province’s time of grief. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from DSWD-7)