The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office XI has disbursed a total of PHP78,136,200.00 in Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) payouts to 7,845 qualified beneficiaries in Baganga, Davao Oriental, from March 16 to 18, 2024. This initiative, spearheaded by the Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD), aims to provide financial assistance to residents grappling with the aftermath of devastating weather disturbances.

In the wake of the destructive weather events that battered the Province of Davao Oriental, starting with the Shear Line followed by a trough of a Low-Pressure Area (LPA) in late January and early February, the DSWD Field Office XI has been at the forefront of relief efforts. Immediate aid, including food and non-food items (FNFIs) such as food packs, kitchen kits, hygiene kits, family kits, and modular tents, was swiftly delivered to affected communities.

Furthermore, recognizing the psychological toll of such calamities, the DSWD also conducted psychosocial interventions to support individuals coping with trauma and distress. Now, as residents strive to rebuild their homes, livelihoods, and sources of income, the DSWD Field Office XI remains committed to facilitating their recovery process.

The rollout of the Emergency Cash Assistance (ECT) in the Province of Davao Oriental, with Baganga among the first municipalities to receive this support, underscores the Department’s dedication to assisting communities in their journey towards recovery. Each beneficiary family received PHP9,960.00, calculated as 75% of the daily minimum wage in the Davao Region multiplied by 30 days ((443×75%)x30 days).

Clarita M. Sarabosing, a resident of Brgy. Lugod in Baganga, Davao Oriental expressed her gratitude for the cash aid her family received. 

“Pait jud kaayo atong sige og ulan ug sundan sa mga pagbaha kay wala mi nakatrabaho. Wala mi kwarta ipalit og konsumo. Tungod niining tabang makapalit nami og konsumo apil sa ubang materyales pagpaayo sa among panimalay, (Our lives were difficult during the continuous rain followed by floods because we couldn’t work. We don’t have money to buy food and necessities. Because of this assistance, we can buy food and other materials to repair our house), Sarabosing said.

Through initiatives like the ECT payout, the DSWD continues to stand in solidarity with disaster-affected communities, offering tangible support as they rebuild and regain stability in the face of adversity. (DSWD FO XI/EMCJr)  

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