Several government line agencies have stepped forward to inform Roxas bombing victims and their dependents what informed of their benefits and services await during an Interagency forum on Friday at the Pinnacle Hotel.
“We will be orienting these people of the benefits they can avail themselves in the coming years, months, and days,” said Asst. Administrator Tristan Dwight Domingo of the City Administrator’s Office.
The event is spearheaded by the City Government of Davao assisted by DOLE. Domingo said that out of the 84 beneficiaries expected to come, 76 attended. Out of the 76, 46 of them were victims of the blast.
The multiple agencies who participated were Pag-ibig Fund, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Social Security System, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Labor and Employment, City Agriculturist’s Office, the Davao City Social Services and Development Office, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Domingo praised the participation and commitment of these agencies to share the mandate of their office such as TESDA’s training for vocational courses, DOLE’s emergency employment, and PhilHealth’s assistance for medical requirements and benefits.
“These national agencies will provide benefits to the victims and their families to remind them that the government has not left them behind,” Domingo added.
The assistance offered by these agencies range from medical, educational scholarship, employment, livelihood and training, and monetary benefit that would help them continue with their lives.
Domingo mentioned that as instructed by City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, the local government’s role is to offer services that would ensure the victims’ and their families’ future.
The City Government also provided monetary assistance for medical and burial fees amounting to nearly P5 million pesos. They also promised to help the victims whose medication caused by the bombing is still on-going.
According to Domingo, there are no victims confined in the Southern Philippines Medical Center but some are still subjected to further treatment and operation. The records of all these victims are in the possession of the city government.
Regardless if the victims are present in the event or not, since some are not fit to travel, Domingo said the local government would still extend their services to them as mandated by Mayor Inday.
The City Government of Davao, according to him, encouraged these people to coordinate with the respective agencies present in the forum to ensure that they could avail of all the services extended.
Meanwhile, Mayor Inday thanked the participation of the multiple agencies in a video message presented in the forum “Thank you for your willingness to assist Davao City in helping the victims of the bombing,” she said in a video message. “Together, let us fight terrorism.”
