A total of 13,866 individuals from Cagayan Valley received financial assistance under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the period April 17 to 23 this year.

Some P41.1 million was distributed by the DSWD through its Field Office II (Cagayan Valley Region) to the beneficiaries from provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya.

In Isabela, DSWD-Field Office II, together with concerned local government units (LGUs), conducted a payout activity on April 22 for some 2,000 beneficiaries of AICS. Cash assistance were provided for their medical needs, funeral expenses and hospitalization, among others.

Senator Imee Marcos was joined by provincial and municipal executives and assisted by DSWD-Field Office personnel when she personally led the distribution of various assistance.

Through the partnership of the Field Office with the local social welfare and development offices, the provision of cash assistance went smoothly, the DSWD FOII reported.

The AICS program serves as a social safety net or a stop-gap mechanism meant to support the recovery of individuals and families from unexpected crises such as illness or death of a family member, natural and man-made disasters, and other crisis situations.

It aims to provide assistance to families in dire need of help and has no other source of help.

Under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the DSWD continues to find ways to improve the provision of AICS and to bring the assistance closer to the public by working with LGUs in setting up satellite processing and payout areas.

This is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr to provide immediate assistance to the poor and vulnerable Filipinos. #