The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Field Office MIMAROPA, has started on Thursday, June 1, the cash assistance distribution for the full recovery of formal and informal fisherfolks, who were heavily affected by the Mindoro oil spill.

As part of its response and early recovery intervention, the DSWD kicked off the cash payout under its Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) Program in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro where some 233 fisherfolks with motorized boats received the cash aid.

Under the ECT program, some 14,291 oil-spill-affected individuals from both informal and formal fishing sectors in Oriental Mindoro will benefit from the new set of cash payouts.

The payout will roll out this month following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to continue assisting the affected population.

More than Php 127.7 million in funds will be distributed by the DSWD to the affected fisherfolks from the municipalities of Baco, Bansud, Bongabong, Bulalacao, Gloria, Mansalay, Naujan, Pinamalayan, Roxas, San Teodoro, Socorro, Victoria, and the City of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro Province.

DSWD Spokesperson Asst. Secretary Romel M. Lopez said financial aid was provided to the affected populations to help them get to normal lives after the oil spill incident.

“While the province is slowly returning to normalcy, the Department continues to provide various interventions, including the provision of family food packs and cash assistance, to the oil spill-affected fisherfolks as part of its early recovery and rehabilitation phase,” Asst. Secretary Lopez said.

According to the latest results of the water and fish laboratory tests conducted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), water areas in the municipalities of Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, Bulalacao, Puerto Galera, Baco, and San Teodoro are now within acceptable standards for fishing activities. #