Photo 1: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Vilma B. Cabrera speaks with Davao blast survivors in the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) to check their condition and additional needs.
Photo 2: Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Director Leopoldo J. Vega updates the DSWD Undersecretaries Cabrera and Mateo Montano and DSWD Assistant Director for Operations Rebecca A. Santamaria about the current state of the blast survivors and how to improve their coordination with the Department on monitoring the condition of the victims.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretaries Mateo G. Montaño and Vilma B. Cabrera led the DSWD team as they visited Davao blast victims confined at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) yesterday.

The two DSWD executives personally talked to the survivors to know their conditions and the assistance that they need.

According to the latest report of the DSWD Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC), out of the 87 blast survivors, 16 are now out-patients while 71 are still confined in hospitals.

The SPMC is currently caring for 34 injured individuals, the most number of hospitalized victims affected by the bombing incident.

Despite being a member of the Philippine delegation in the 28th and 29th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Vientiane, Laos, DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo continues to monitor developments on the assistance provided to the blast victims.

The Department already provided P5,000 cash assistance to 23 injured victims, while financial aid amounting to P10,000 and food assistance of five family food packs will be given to each of the bereaved families.

“We will continue to provide cash assistance and other appropriate services to all the victims and their families. Psycho-social counseling will also continue to be conducted to the survivors and bereaved families.  Our team in Davao is ready to give any type of help to the victims so they can move forward from the tragic incident and start anew,” Sec. Taguiwalo said.

Aside from the blast victims, psycho-social counselling is also extended to massage therapists from Matina, Pangi, and Davao City who manifested and experienced some body malaise and difficulty in hearing and sleeping.

Sec. Taguiwalo also reiterated her appeal to the people to stay vigilant despite the continuing threats to the safety and security of the public. ###