DSWD-7: 35.5K beneficiaries availed of crisis intervention aid

Marge Pinton, head of Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Crisis Intervention Services (CIS). | Photo courtesy of DSWD-7

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some 35,504 individuals have availed of the financial assistance of the Crisis Intervention Section (CIS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) from January 1 to June 11 this year.

Marge Pinton, head of CIS, said that the agency had already disbursed P240 million for the program called the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

“Usa kini sa frontline service we have sa Department of Social Welfare and Development kun diin nagahatag kita ug assistance para sa mga indibidwal o pamilya nga naa sa krisis nga sitwasyon,” Pinton said.

(This is one of the frontline service of the Department of Social Welfare and Development where we give assistance to an individual or a family who are in a crisis situation.)

She said that AICS caters to individuals in crisis situation such as those who are in need to medical assistance, transportation, burial, and educational assistance.

Pinton said that those who would want to avail of the program would need to submit some requirements such as a valid ID, Barangay Certificate of Indigency, medical certificate/abstract or doctor’s prescription for medical assistance, death certificate with registry number for burial assistance, among others.

“We have a ceiling of P150,000 nga mahimo namong ihatag sa usa ka beneficiary, especially for medical assistance, hilabi na sa billing sa hospital,” she added.

(We have a ceiling of P150,000 that we can give to a beneficiary, especially for medical assistance like the billing of a hospital.)

Pinton, however, clarified that a beneficiary could only ask for assistance once every three months. 

But she said that they would only consider requests for assistance even if it had not yet reached three months in times of emergency or urgency for individuals who would be in a crisis situation.

The request, however, would undergo an assessment by their social workers.

“Sama anang padung na i-discharge ang patient, blood transfusion, in-patient request for laboratory, or if they need to buy oxygen tank para sa ilang patient,” she said.

(Requests like the patient is ready to be discharged, blood transfusion, in-patient request for laboratory, or if they need to buy oxygen tank for their patient.)

Every day, Pinton said that their office could  cater to around 100 to 200 clients.

But due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Pinton said, that they had scheduled the visit of their clients per district.

Every Monday, Cebu City residents are only allowed to be accommodated; Cebu 1st and 2nd congressional district on Tuesday; Cebu 3rd and 4th congressional district on Wednesday; Cebu 4th and 5th congressional district on Thursday; and 7th and the lone district of Lapu-Lapu City on Friday.

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