The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended cash and food assistance to families affected by the collapse of an under-construction building in Angeles City, Pampanga, as authorities continued rescue and assessment operations on Sunday.
The DSWD Field Office III in Central Luzon distributed P10,000 in cash aid, family food packs, and ready-to-eat food boxes to residents displaced by the incident in Barangay Balibago.
The regional office, led by Director Venus Rebuldela, is coordinating with the Angeles City local government to determine what additional assistance may be needed by affected families.
According to the DSWD Field Office III, evacuated residents are temporarily staying at the Balibago Hall in Barangay Balibago. The agency has yet to release the total number of families affected by the building collapse.
Aside from distributing relief goods and financial assistance, DSWD personnel are conducting profiling and assessment activities to identify the condition of displaced residents and determine other forms of support needed.
The assistance came after a nine-story building under construction collapsed early Sunday in Angeles City, trapping several individuals and forcing nearby residents to evacuate as rescue operations got underway.
Authorities have yet to determine what caused the collapse. Initial reports said several people were trapped in the rubble, while others were later rescued and given medical attention.
The DSWD said it will continue coordinating with local officials as response teams assess the broader impact of the incident on nearby households and workers.
The agency also assured affected families that additional interventions may be provided depending on the results of the ongoing assessment.