BORACAY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) did not stop releasing transportation and meal assistance to displaced workers in this island resort.
DSWD regional director Rebecca Geamala said this as she denied reports that the agency is lacking funds.
“May calamity fund ba talaga? Yes. May P524-million na DSWD’s response na assistance sa mga intervention programs for Boracay [workers] affected by the rehabilitation on top of the regular programs sa Aklan,” said Geamala.
She added that the reports were “fake news.”
“We never stopped working for Boracay residents, for the workers affected by the shutdown. We have also a skeletal force during weekends. We want families from three barangays to have disaster assistance access cards from the inter-agency [group],” Geamala added.
As of May 3, the DWSD has already released P9,731,500 assistance to 4,129 recipients from the island’s informal and formal sectors.
The agency also allotted P280 million for the Sustainable Livelihood Program for displaced island workers. Of the amount, P80 million will be used for livelihood grants.
This week, DSWD continues the distribution of aid to Boracay closure affected individuals through its operation center that will be placed along the main road to Faith Village Boracay near Station 3 in Barangay Manoc-Manoc.
Before, the DWSD operation center was in Boracay Tropics Resort.
Geamala said the validation of the residency of people living in three Boracay villages is ongoing. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
