The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided P10,000 cash assistance, through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), and two food packs each to the 22 fishermen who were rescued at Recto Bank.

Said assistance and supplies were distributed by Undersecretary Aimee Torrefranca-Neri in Occidental Mindoro during her visit last June 19.

On June 14, DSWD Field Office MIMAROPA, provided two family food packs to each of the fishermen as immediate response after they were rescued.  Social workers from the Field Office also conducted psychosocial intervention to help them cope with traumatic experience from the incident.

The FO IV-B, in coordination with the Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO) of Occidental Mindoro, is currently conducting further assessment to determine additional appropriate services that can be extended to the fishermen.

DSWD is looking into the provision of livelihood assistance to the families through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and educational assistance for their children, also, through the AICS.

DSWD assures the fishermen and their families that the Department will continue to assist them until they have fully recovered from the incident and are able to live normal lives. -30-