A total of 2,131 residents in Bacolod received medical, burial, and financial assistance totaling P8,274,000, under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, with the distribution held Jan. 25 at the Bacolod City College gymnasium.
This second batch of assistance covered the last half of 2025, or from July to December, with the third batch being processed and finalized.
“We are committed to helping our residents in times of need. Our support also includes aid for fire victims and families who have been relocated, ensuring that help reaches those who need it most,” Mayor Greg Gasataya said at the aid distribution.
Through AICS, direct support is provided to individuals and families facing emergencies or hardships, and the assistance covers medications, food, burial needs, transportation, education, and other basic necessities.
The last payout was Dec. 10, when 577 senior citizens received assistance at the Bacolod Government Center.
The city said that through AICS, the Bacolod local government ensures timely, organized support for residents in crisis or hardship, underscoring its commitment to serving constituents fairly and responsibly.
Meanwhile, the Bacolod LGU also distributed relief items Jan. 26 to families affected by recent fires in barangays Singcang-Airport, 10, and 26, and currently sheltered in evacuation centers.
Thirty-four families in Purok Tambi Palad, Barangay 10, were displaced due to a fire Jan. 24; 12 families lost their homes in Purok Batad, Barangay Singcang-Airport, Jan. 25; and 19 families were displaced in Purok Masanag, Barangay 26, Jan. 26.
Each family received food packs containing eight kilos of rice, canned goods, snacks, and coffee; family kits with basic kitchenware, such as pots, pans, plates, utensils, and drinking glasses; clothing items like shirts, underwear, shorts, and slippers; sleeping kits like mats, blankets, pillows, mosquito nets, and malongs; and hygiene kits with shampoo, pails, nail cutters, combs, bath soap, toothpaste, and other essentials.
Gasataya also instructed the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) to facilitate the financial assistance for the fire victims.
The DSSD is leading camp management and coordination efforts, and has started validating claims for financial support for totally and partially-affected households. Respective barangays are also playing a major role in providing resources to their constituents, the city said in a press release Jan. 27.
“We remain committed to standing with our affected families during this difficult time,” DSSD-Bacolod head Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga said. “Beyond relief assistance, our priority is to help them recover with dignity, hope, and the assurance that the city government is with them.” ||
