The province of Ilocos Norte has secured additional PHP55 million financial assistance to individuals and families in crisis situations.

Provincial Social Welfare and Development officer Lilian Rin confirmed this in an interview Tuesday, citing the local social welfare and development offices in the 21 towns and two cities of the province are now in the process of interviewing qualified beneficiaries.

According to Rin, a PHP3,000 cash assistance will be given to each indigent beneficiary particularly those affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

As specified in the guidelines, the beneficiaries are given educational, medical, transportation, burial, food and non-food assistance in the form of outright cash to assist them including for the basic needs of the families.

But with the surge of the Covid-19 cases in various parts of the province, Rin said, “the assessment of qualified beneficiaries has been delayed” as some social workers who were supposed to conduct interviews with the target beneficiaries got infected with the virus.

Nonetheless, she assured that upon completion of the required documents, their office will immediately facilitate the release of the cash assistance. (PNA)