The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to distribute Family Food Packs (FFPs) and financial aid for the shelter reconstruction of more or less 1,800 individuals affected by a fire incident that took place last night, November 13, in Blocks 34, 35 and 36 of Brgy. Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City.

Earlier today, a team from the DSWD Central Office (CO) and Field Office-National Capital Region (NCR), led by Assistant Secretary for Promotives Program Malou Turalde-Jarabe and NCR Regional Director Vincent Andrew Leyson, visited two evacuation areas where the affected families are temporarily staying – the Andres Bonifacio Integrated School and the Additional Hill Integrated School, both within walking distance of the disaster site in Welfareville.

Currently, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) of Mandaluyong and the DSWD FO-NCR are holding intake assessments on the affected families. They are interviewing families regarding their homes – whether they owned the houses, were renting, or were part owners. The number of members per family are also being determined.

Aside from assessing the situation of the fire survivors, the DSWD team also inspected the area where the fire took place and held an initial evaluation on the needs of the victims.

“Mahalaga na maagap na matulungan ang mga kababayan natin sa Addition Hills dahil marami sa mga naapektuhan ng sunog ay mga bata. Marami ding mga matatanda. Pinagsisikapan naming bilisan ang proseso ng paghatid ng tulong sa kanila. Bukod sa financial assistance, tinitingnan na rin namin ang posibilidad na maisama ang mga apektadong pamilya sa Cash-for-Work program upang kaagad silang magkaroon ng pera na magagamit nila sa kanilang muling pagbangon at paglipat sa ibang matitirhan. (It is important to immediately help our kababayans in Addition Hills because most of the affected individuals are children. We are now hastening our operations to immediately send aid to them. Aside from providing them with outright financial assistance, we are checking the possibility of including the affected families in the Department’s Cash-for-Work (CFW) program to help the families start afresh),” assured DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo.

Sec. Taguiwalo also expressed concern over the situation of the fire survivors in the evacuation centers.

“The schools where the affected residents are currently staying are not at all equipped for the needs of evacuees. The areas where they are staying – hallways, the gymnasium, the school grounds – are not meant to be occupied by families. There are so many children and senior citizens among the evacuees, and we have not doubt that the situation they are facing is causing them so much stress. We hope that that our local government officials and compassionate members of the private sector in the immediate neighborhood of Mandaluyong – the malls and other commercial establishments – can provide assistance by way of donating basic necessities, including portalets, water, medicine, underwear, clothes, mosquito nets and the like,” she said.

“We have to work together during times of emergencies and calamities so we can protect the more vulnerable members of our families. Fires often break out in our communities, so we must be prepared for them. Of course, it’s always more important to prevent fires and ensure that our communities have the means to control and put them out before they grow; however, when the unfortunate happens and we cannot put fires out, the most that we can do is to help the survivors and ensure their chances of recovery,” she said.  #