Around 9,069 residents in Agusan del Sur benefited from a weeklong government financial aid distribution after their houses were damaged by floods that hit the province last month.

In a statement Monday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Caraga Region (DSWD-13) said around PHP45.3 million in cash assistance through the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program was released last week in seven towns of Agusan del Sur.

“Each of the beneficiaries received PHP5,004 in cash through the ECT program, which is intended to finance the repair of their damaged houses,” the DSWD-13 said.

Of the beneficiaries, 4,206 were from the town of San Luis, 2,947 from Bunawan, 1,289 from Trento, 350 from La Paz, 164 from Veruela, 98 from Prosperidad and 15 from Bayugan.

The respective local government units in the province and the government’s other line agencies also supported the series of distribution activities.

“The DSWD-13 will continue to conduct distribution activities for the ECT program in other areas in the region, especially those families whose houses were damaged by the recent floods,” the agency said.

Agusan del Sur and parts of Agusan del Norte and Butuan City were hit by flooding in middle of February due to heavy rains caused by the shear line and the trough of the low-pressure area. (PNA)