The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Field Office IV-A, provided financial assistance to a total of 501 families affected by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng in the province of Laguna. Last October 19, these families received PhP 5.86 million worth of cash assistance under the DSWD’s Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program to help them recover from the effects of the said calamity.

The said families are from the cities of Calamba and Sta. Rosa who were left with totally-damaged houses in the aftermath of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng, which hit the region in October 2022. Each family received PhP 11,700.

Ma. Julieta Z. Furtez, 53, a resident of Brgy 2 (Poblacion) in Calamba City, is grateful for the financial assistance she received.

“Malaki po itong tulong para po mapaayos na namin ang aming bahay at ‘yung matitira ay pambili ko po ng gamot dahil sa na-stroke po ako kamakailan. Ngayon po ay PWD na po ako,” Furtez shared.

Another ECT recipient, Lester Butch R. Agana, 58, from Brgy. Parian, Calamba City, is also thankful for the assistance and shared that his family will use it to repair his house and to provide for the other needs of his family.

Other than these families, the DSWD Field Office IV-A targets to provide the same cash aid to at least 900 more families in the provinces of Laguna and Quezon.

The ECT is an unconditional financial aid targeting disaster-affected families to support them towards recovery from the effects of calamities.# [with reports from GANLindio]