Fire-hit market vendors receive cash assistance
DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said on Tuesday that about 90 public market vendors impacted by the fire in Iriga City received financial relief assistance.
Lopez said that after learning of the fire incidents in a public market, the DSWD’s Field Office-5 promptly partnered with the Iriga City local government to give immediate assistance to the affected stall owners.
“We swiftly communicated with the local officials of Iriga City so we could extend cash aid to the fire-affected vendors,” Lopez said.
Lopez added that each stall owner received P10,000 in financial assistance from the agency on Monday, February 5, as part of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
“The identified vendors were tent stall owners who were greatly affected by the fire past midnight on February 2,” Lopez said.
The DSWD Bicol also handed 228 family food packs (FFPs) with essential nonfood items valued at over P193,000 to individuals affected by the fire disaster.
He said that the DSWD will further evaluate affected vendors so that they can get start-up financing ranging from P10,000 to P20,000 via the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
“On top of these initial responses, our field office is also set to provide livelihood assistance for their early recovery and rehabilitation of the affected market vendors,” Lopez said.
“The SLP payout will soon be scheduled to complete the set of assistance to the fire victims,” he added.
DSWD Bicol Regional Director Norman Laurio, Iriga City Mayor Wilfredo “Rex” Oliva, City Social Welfare and Development Officer Maridel Verrosa, and DSWD Camarines Sur provincial team leader Marian Monsalve led the distribution of financial assistance to those impacted.
Mayor Oliva thanked the DSWD for its ongoing efforts to assist his constituents in establishing a new source of livelihood.
According to a report from the DSWD’s Bicol Field Office, the impacted vendors are temporarily accommodated in the Barangay San Francisco evacuation center and the Early Childhood Development Center.