NAGA CITY, CAMARINES SUR – In the aftermath of a devastating fire that ravaged Brgy. Sabang in Naga City, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol swiftly extended aid to the affected families. Nine households grappling with the aftermath of the blaze received vital financial assistance from the agency, aimed at easing their immediate financial burdens.

On February 29, 2024, the agency, through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program, allocated a total of PHP 65,000 in financial aid to the fire-affected families. Families whose homes were totally destroyed by the fire were granted PHP 10,000 each, while those with partially damaged residences received PHP 5,000 to aid in their recovery.

“Nais ko magpasalamat sa DSWD at sa mga namumuno nito, dahil napakabilis nila mag responde sa mga pangangailangan namin lalo na ngayon kami ay nasunugan. Yung lungkot ko dahil hindi ko naisalba sa sunog ang aking alagang aso, ay napunan naman ng kasiyahan dahil sa tulong po ninyo,” Nanay Teresita Polillo, one of the fire-hit victims shared.

(I want to express my gratitude to DSWD and its leaders because they responded very quickly to our needs, especially now that we have been affected by fire. The sadness I felt for not being able to save my pet dog from the fire was replaced by happiness because of your assistance.)

This financial assistance is part of the DSWD’s continued commitment to families in times of crisis. In addition to the financial aid, the agency earlier distributed essential relief supplies through its Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD) on Monday, February 26. Each family received two family food packs (FFPs) and a complete set of non-food items, including hygiene kits, kitchen kits, sleeping kits, and family kits.

The AICS program under the Crisis Intervention Section (CIS) of the agency works hand-in-hand with the DRMD in ensuring a comprehensive response to the diverse needs of affected citizens, particularly those from vulnerable and marginalized sectors.

“The DSWD is committed to providing aid to individuals and communities in most need of our assistance. We do not limit ourselves into providing them material needs but also the necessary psychosocial intervention. Our priority is to provide immediate relief and support to those in need, especially during such challenging times.” RD Norman S. Laurio said.

Through these concerted efforts, the DSWD aims to assist fire-affected families in recovering from its trauma and in rebuilding their lives.#