Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo said today that the Department is ready to provide augmentation assistance to the local government unit (LGU) of Davao City for the wake and funeral expenses of the victims of the bombing incident which occurred in the city last week.

Likewise, based on the assessment of the members of the DSWD-Disaster Action Team who met with the families of the victims,  they are recommending that financial and food assistance be provided for the victims’ families whose economic activities were interrupted.

The DSWD-Disaster Action Team also reported that the Davao LGU has assigned coordinators  to respond to the various needs of the victims and family members, such as, taking care of medical needs and hospital bills, coordinating for the funeral services,  and arranging for transportation requirements in going to the respective provinces of the victims. The LGU also gave hospital watchers P100 allowance per meal for a maximum of two family members.

DSWD social workers also started to conduct psycho-social sessions to traumatized victims by allowing them to express their problems, worries and ill-feelings relative to the incident,  however,  most of them were not yet ready.

DSWD-Field Office XI also continues to coordinate with other  DSWD-Field Offices  in locating for the family members of some of the victims.

Earlier, Sec. Taguiwalo  expressed her deepest sympathies for the victims of the bombing and said that the Department will provide whatever assistance it can to the survivors and the relatives of those who were killed. ###