Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday confirmed that relief augmentation and other forms of assistance will persist for families impacted by the fire at the Parola compound in Binondo, Manila over the weekend. This announcement came after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian visited 500 residents at the Leonardo B. Fugoso Sports Complex and Delpan Evacuation Center.

According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD Disaster Response and Management Group Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao stated that the department acted swiftly in line with President Marcos' directive to provide immediate aid to families affected by disasters. Dumlao emphasized that the DSWD was committed to ensuring that appropriate and prompt assistance reached those impacted by calamities, as demonstrated by their immediate response to the fire in Barangay Parola.

In addition to family food packs, the DSWD is providing non-food items such as sleeping kits, kitchen kits, hygiene kits, and maternity kits to the affected families. Dumlao assured evacuees that assistance would be available regardless of the availability of valid identification cards, with validations carried out by local social welfare officers.

Before the visit of President Marcos and Gatchalian, the DSWD Field Office-National Capital Region, led by Assistant Regional Director for Operations Bienvenido Barbosa Jr., distributed 2,000 ready-to-eat food boxes, 2,000 kitchen kits, 2,000 sleeping kits, and 2,000 hygiene kits to the affected families. Additionally, financial assistance of PHP10,000 is being provided to fire victims at the Leonardo B. Fugoso Sports Complex as part of ongoing augmentation support operations.

The DSWD's Disaster Response Operations Management, Information and Communication report indicated that the department has delivered a total of PHP1.614 million worth of initial assistance. Pelita Mendulio, a resident of Barangay Parola, expressed her gratitude for the swift response and aid distribution, highlighting the DSWD's leading role in disaster response operations.

The report also mentioned that 2,134 families or 7,123 individuals have been affected by the fire incident, with 2,500 individuals staying in evacuation centers, while 4,623 are temporarily residing with families or friends.