BUTUAN CITY-A total of Php3,157,905.20 was disbursed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga through the Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD) for the families affected by fire incidents in Bislig City and Tago, Surigao del Sur.

Food and non-food items worth Php720,231.00 were provided to 104 families in Tago while Php947,674.00 was provided to 121 families in Bislig City.

Non-food items include Family Kit, Kitchen Kit, Mosquito Net, Plastic Mat and Malong.

Other than that, 73 families from Tago and 85 families from Bisligalso received the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) amounting to Php670,000.00 and Php820,000.00 respectively. Under ESA, families whose houses were partially damaged received Php5,000.00, while those with totally damaged houses received Php10,000.00.

On February 19, 2019, a fire occurred in Tago and 2 days after, a fire hit a residential area in Brgy. Tabon, Bislig leaving some of the residents homeless.

As of press time, the department continues to monitor the situation of the families in coordination with the City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (C/MSWDO). The Field Office is waiting for the proposal for the conduct of Food-for-Work activities as part of the early recovery and rehabilitation of the affected families. ###(ABEGAIL R. ALVAREZ/Social Marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga)