The Office of the President released Php675,000 cash assistance to 75 fire victims in the district of Lapuz in last Sunday’s pay-out at the Jalandoni Elementary School covered court. The payout was led by Assistant Secretary Paul Ledesma (under the Office of the President) and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian.

DSWD 6 Director Atty. Carmelo Nochete, Assistant Regional Director for Operations Arwin Razo, and Assistant Regional Director for Administration Joselito Estember also joined in the payout.

Secretary Gatchalian said the additional cash aid is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’s response to helping the fire victims in coping with their current situation. The fire victims whose houses were totally burned received Php15,000 and Php13,000 for those with partially burned houses. Sharers received Php5,000 cash assistance.

Of the 75 recipients, 44 are from Jalandoni Estate, Lapuz Sur; 22, and nine are from Lapuz Norte. Gatchalian reiterated before the fire victims that the Marcoses deemed them important and pushed for releasing financial assistance even on a Sunday. The sharers were also included as beneficiaries.

He added that the Marcoses wanted the fire victims to start anew their lives after the mishap which left 22 families homeless from Barangays Jalandoni Estate, Lapuz Norte, and Lapuz Sur. Barangay Jalandoni Estate has the most number of totally burned houses, reaching 14. While Lapuz Norte has two totally burned houses and six from Lapuz Sur.

The Secretary said they were instructed to monitor and check the status of the fire victims in Lapuz.

The DSWD staff facilitated the release of the funds to the fire victims.