MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started distributing Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) assistance to more than 62,000 families affected by Super Typhoon Carina in Central Luzon, nearly a year after the typhoon battered the region in July 2024.

The payouts began on Tuesday, June 24, in Abucay (Bataan) and Arayat and Candaba (Pampanga), and will continue until the first week of July, according to the DSWD’s Field Office 3.

Each affected family will receive ₱5,625 in cash assistance, intended to help cover basic needs such as food, water, medicine, and other daily essentials.

“Gaya ng utos ng ating Pangulo, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., hindi pwedeng magbigay lang tayo ng relief goods habang at pagkatapos ng bagyo. Kailangan din nating subaybayan at tulungan ang mga apektadong pamilya hanggang maka-recover o makabangon muli sila,” said DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, spokesperson and lead of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG).

Strict security and crowd management measures are in place at payout sites, with support from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Provincial and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices, to ensure smooth and safe distribution.

“Maayos ang proseso ng pamamahagi at sinisigurado naming ligtas ang payout sites sa tulong ng ating mga katuwang sa lokal na pamahalaan at iba pang ahensya,” Dumlao said.

The ECT program is part of the DSWD’s broader disaster response strategy, designed to provide immediate financial aid to families in areas declared under a state of calamity, and bridge the gap between emergency relief and long-term recovery.

“Patuloy ang DSWD sa pagbibigay ng tulong sa mga kababayan nating nasalanta ng bagyo. Gusto naming maramdaman nila na hindi sila nag-iisa sa pagbangon,” she added.