Last month, the November 2018 Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) regarding certain areas of Boracay was cancelled. This has led to the displacement of several Ati families in the area.
In response, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided cash relief assistance to 44 Ati families who were affected by the land dispute. The assistance was given by DSWD Field Office 6 on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.
Displaced Families Receive Aid from DSWD
Each beneficiary was given PHP 10,000 worth of cash aid through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, according to Assistant Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group Irene Dumlao, as cited in a press release.
“This financial assistance shows our commitment to support vulnerable communities like the Ati people during times of crisis,” stated Asst. Sec. Dumlao, who also happens to be the DSWD’s co-spokesperson and data privacy officer.
“This aid comes in response to a letter from the Aklan government to the DSWD, urgently requesting assistance for the Ati community,” she added.
On April 1, Aklan Provincial Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores sent an official letter to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian. Through the letter, the governor requested assistance for their ongoing relief efforts for the displaced Ati Community from Malay town.
“Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the DSWD swiftly responded to the request of the provincial government,” Asst. Sec. Dumlao explained. “We disbursed cash aid to alleviate the immediate financial burdens faced by the displaced families.”
Aside from the 44 displaced families, some 11 families from the Ati Community were also given Php 10,000 worth of food assistance, according to the Assistant Secretary.
In addition, Asst. Sec. Dumlao reiterated the DSWD’s continuing commitment to providing assistance to individuals and communities in crisis situations.
Thanks to the DSWD, along with the provincial government of Aklan, the Ati families affected by the land dispute can address their basic needs. Hopefully, in time, the issue over the land ownership itself may be resolved.
In times of crisis, be it natural calamities or man-made emergencies, the DSWD is ever-ready to help. In particular, the department’s Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB) is always quick to respond! Check out this article to learn more about how this bureau responds to different kinds of disasters!