PUDTOL, Apayao – A total of 259 residents from vulnerable sectors received financial aid during the offsite payout of the Department of Social Welfare and Development–Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD-CAR) and the Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Apayao on April 24, 2025, at the Cabatacan Gymnasium.
The beneficiaries comprising senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and solo parents each received PhP5,000 under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program. The assistance is expected to help cover immediate household and personal needs, especially for families facing financial strain.
Among the recipients was 70-year-old Benjamin Canonizado, who said the support would go a long way in easing their day-to-day burdens. “Agyaman nak unay iti daytoy a tulong. Dakkel a tulong daytoy para kadagiti kangrunaan a kasapulan mi iti pagtaengan,” he said.
Fredelita Grace Erice, a 53-year-old solo parent with two children in college, shared that the cash aid would help cover educational expenses and maintenance medicines. “Dakkel a tulong daytoy iti gastos mi iti sangkaballayan, ti panagadal da, ken ti maintenance ko a pang-hypertension,” she said.
PWD beneficiary Teresa Viernes, 56, expressed her hope that the support continues. “Agyaman kami iti daytoy a tulong ti gobyerno. Dakkel a tulong dayta iti edukasyon dagiti annak ko,” she said.
The AICS program provides support for Filipinos experiencing financial hardship, offering aid for medical, educational, and burial expenses, as well as transportation and food needs. It remains one of DSWD’s key services in helping families recover from crises.
The next AICS payout is scheduled for April 25 at the EKB Memorial Sports Complex in San Carlos, Santa Marcela, Apayao. By Kriza Joy Castillo
