DSWD: PH gov't ready to aid Filipinos amid Middle East crisis

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday said the Philippine government is prepared to provide assistance to affected Filipinos for “as long as it takes” in response to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts.

In a Palace briefing on Wednesday, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the current Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) budget under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) is P62 billion, with the first P30 billion already earmarked for ongoing assistance programs.

“The President’s instruction is [to provide assistance] for as long as it takes. Hindi natin hahayaan ang ating mga mamamayan na tulad ng sabi ko na lubhang maapektuhan nitong krisis sa Gitnang Silangan,” Gatchalian said.

(The President’s instruction is to provide assistance for as long as it takes. We will not let our citizens, as I said, be severely affected by this crisis in the Middle East.)

He added that the first P30 billion should cover initial assistance needs.

“Sa forecast, that should keep us running for as long as it takes and then kapag kulang pa, mayroon pa ho kami na puwede pang pagkunan sa DSWD,” he said.

(This initial P30 billion should sustain us for as long as needed. If more is required, the DSWD has additional sources to draw from.)

Gatchalian noted that the agency has other funding mechanisms it can tap if the crisis extends beyond initial projections.

Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the ongoing Middle East conflict could last about four to eight weeks based on reports from its posts in the region, as tensions continue to escalate.

“The projection from the reports we received is four to eight weeks. It’s not like the previous Israel-Iran conflict, which lasted only 12 days. Reports indicate that Iran was open to negotiation, but it was discounted by its government," said Germina Aguilar-Usudan, DFA assistant secretary for Middle East and African Affairs.

"(US President Donald) Trump has said he is more ready for war this time,” she added.

With expectations of a protracted conflict, the DFA said it is already providing unconventional assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to support them during the crisis.—MCG, GMA Integrated News