QUEZON CITY -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is ready to provide augmentation support to local government units (LGUs) affected by the latest imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), specifically the areas of Iloilo Province, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, and Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.

As soon as the ECQ was imposed, the DSWD Field Office (FO) VI received a total of 5,000 family food packs (FFPs) augmentation from the Visayas Disaster Response Center. Currently, FO VI has a total of 10,439 FFPs and standby funds worth more than P3 million.

The Department is currently coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the provision of air and other logistical assets to assist in the immediate delivery of FFPs that will be augmented by the Department to the concerned areas. 

Meanwhile, the DSWD FO VI and X are consistently coordinating with concerned LGUs to determine how many families within the ECQ areas are affected and are eligible to receive aid from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

AICS is a regular program of the Department that provides medical, burial, transportation, food and non-food assistance in the form of outright cash to aid in the recovery of the poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged individuals or families during unexpected life situations.

The Department will continue to monitor the situation of the areas under ECQ to ensure that all affected families will receive necessary assistance. (DSWD)