Caraganon families,
SCs continue to receive assistance from DSWD amid COVID-19 pandemic
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, April 6 (PIA) -- Due to the ongoing crisis in the country
brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - Caraga has constantly
been looking after the needs of the poor families and senior citizens in the
region.
According to Marko Davey Reyes, regional information officer of
DSWD-Caraga, the senior citizens benefit from the Social Pension Program,
wherein an amount of P3,000 is allocated for the first semester of this year
and is set to be distributed to them.
Apart from that, with the assistance of the local government units and
other concerned agencies in the region, the food and non-food essentials are
also set to be delivered to the said sector.
“We continue to provide the basic services through our assistance to
individuals in crisis situations or AICS, wherein individuals who are in need
of help could get the medical, burial assistance, and cash assistance. We have
also transportation and food assistance for the most vulnerable sector,” said
Reyes.
The senior citizens are glad with the kind of support that the
government has provided them.
“The DSWD has greatly helped us by providing us the social pension
benefit so I could buy the basic commodities which my family needs,” bared
Victoria Nerpio, a senior citizen from Barangay Golden Ribbon, Butuan City.
Meanwhile, Reyes clarified that with the new guidelines, the local
government units under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) are the
ones being prioritized by the department for the augmentation should they need
it for their fellow residents.
He further stressed that the DSWD is ready and prepared to provide
the needed augmentation to the LGUs, as the department has already allocated
funds for this crisis situation and has prepositioned the food packs for the
beneficiaries.
“We have already prepared 7,999 family food packs worth 6,530,183.70.
These family food packs have been prepositioned to the different strategic
areas within the region,” Reyes added.
For walk-in clients, Reyes bared that they are limiting to 50 clients
per day as they strictly observe social distancing in the office’
premises. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DOH confirms first
COVID-19 case in Caraga Region
By Doreen Marielle N. Rosales
BUTUAN CITY, Apr. 6 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) Caraga
confirms the first positive case of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in
the region.
DOH Caraga Regional Director Dr. Jose Llacuna, Jr. says the patient is a
68-year old Filipino male who has a pre-existing medical condition of chronic
obstructive lung disease and diabetes.
The patient was also found to have traveled from the National Capital
Region and arrived in Butuan City on March 12, three days before Pres. Rodrigo
Duterte imposed a travel ban in Luzon.
Upon arrival, the patient was subjected to monitoring and had developed
symptoms of the disease during home quarantine. He was admitted at the Caraga
Regional Hospital in Surigao City on March 29 and is currently in stable
condition.
The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of DOH Caraga is
currently conducting a contact tracing of persons who have interacted or was
situated within close proximity of the patient and his flight details.
Dr. Llacuna, Jr. calls on the public to follow the health protocol of
the authorities religiously, especially the stay at home policy.
“We must take this matter seriously. Our best weapon is to always
practice social distancing, as the virus cannot thrive over the lack of hosts,”
he says.
He also reminds everyone to verify local news pertaining COVID-19 and
always confirm such information on the agency’s website and Facebook page, DOH
– Center for Health and Development Caraga.
Meanwhile, the health agency is set to provide technical assistance to
the city government of Butuan for the rapid testing for the patients under
investigation (PUIs) admitted in the hospital annex or the designated PUI
Centers in the city.
The samples for the said tests will be delivered to the Southern
Philippine Medical Center for a confirmatory reverse transcription polymerase
chain reaction (RT-PCR) test to detect the viral load in the samples.
As of April 5, there are 12 PUIs in the region, wherein four are
currently admitted and eight are under strict home quarantine. (PIA-Caraga)
Pangangailangan ng
mga indigents, senior citizens sa hinaharap na krisis sa COVID-19, tinutugunan
ng DSWD-13
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Abril 6 (PIA) -- Sa gitna ng krisis ngyon sa bansa
dulot ng coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), patuloy na tinutugunan ng Department
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga ang pangangailangan ng mga
mahihirap na pamilya at senior citizens sa rehiyon.
Ayon kay Marko Davey Reyes, regional information officer ng DSWD-Caraga,
isa sa mga programa para sa mga senior citizens ay ang Social Pension, kung
saan makakatanggap sila ng P3,000 para sa 1st semester na budget.
Maliban riyan, sa tulong ng mga local government units at kinauukulang
ahensiya sa rehiyon, patuloy rin ang pagbibigay ng food at non-food essentials
sa kanilang sektor.
“Patuloy ang aming pagbibigay serbisyo sa pamamagitan AICS o ang
assistance to individuals in crisis situations, kung saan tinutugunan ng
ahensiya ang pangangailangang medical, pagpapalibing ng yumaong kapamilya at
cash assistance. Nagbibigay rin ang DSWD ng pagkain at pamasahe ng mga
mahihirap na mga mamamayan,” ani ni Reyes.
Magandang balita naman ito para sa senior citizens. “Malaking tulong sa
tulad kong senior citizens ang ibinibigay na serbisyo ng DSWD, dahil nabibili
ko rin ang kailangan kong gamot at maging sa iba pang pangangailangan ng aking
pamilya,” pahayag ni Victoria Nerpio, isang social pensioner sa Butuan City.
Samantala, nilinaw din ni Reyes na sa bagong guidelines, ang mga lokal
na pamahalaan na nasa ilalim ng Enhanced Community Quarantine ang kanilang
prayoridad sa pagbibigay ng augmentation sakaling magrequest ang mga ito sa
kanilang ahensiya.
Binigyang-diin din niyang handa naman ang DSWD na magbigay tulong sa mga
LGUs dahil may nakalaan na silang budget para dito at may naka-prepositioned na
rin na mga food packs.
“May 7,999 family food packs ang inihanda ng DSWD-Caraga na
nagkakahalagang P6,530,183.70. Ang mga food packs na ito ay naka prepositioned
na rin sa ibat-ibang strategic areas ng rehiyon,” dagdag ni Reyes.
Sa walk-in clients naman, sinabi ni Reyes na limitado sa 50 kliyente
lamang sa isang araw ang kanilang tinatanggap dahil sa social distancing. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
