ZAMBOANGA, Philippines — The 37 survivors of the July 4 C-130 plane crash in Patikul, Sulu received cash aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development while twenty-six soldiers who were injured received merit medals and cash assistance from the Office of the President (OP) on Monday.
Alvin Dacanay, DSWD Region 9 Disaster Response Management Division information officer, said that each of the 37 survivors received PHP5,000 cash or a total of PHP185,000 from the department’s Crisis Intervention Unit. Each of the recipient-survivors also received family, hygiene, and sleeping kits aside from the cash aid.
Dacanay said 14 of the 37 survivors are admitted at Camp Navarro General Hospital of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), 22 at the government-owned Zamboanga City Medical Center, and one at the Cuidad Medical Zamboanga, a private hospital.
“This is the initiative of the department to immediately assist the survivors in times of traumatic events,” he said.
Asnawi Maamor of the Presidential Management Staff in Zamboanga peninsula and Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) deputy for administration chief Brig. Gen. Antonio Navarrete pinned the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the rank of Kampilan on the soldiers who were confined at the Zamboanga City Medical Center, Zamboanga Doctor’s Hospital, West Metro Medical Center and Ciudad Medical Zamboanga.
Col. Alaric Avelino delos Santos, Westmincom spokesman and civil-military chief, said each soldier received P115,000 in cash assistance, gift checks worth P5,000, a cellular phone, a watch and a gun certificate.
President Duterte provided financial assistance to the other injured soldiers at Camp General Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital in Jolo and Camp Navarro General Hospital at Westmincom when he visited them on July 5.
The military said the victims and their families are entitled to receive additional financial assistance, which include the sum of their base pay, hazard pay and bonuses, funeral service support amounting to P80,000 and monthly pension based on rank and length of service.
The relatives of the victims will also benefit from the comprehensive social benefits program of the OP and other assistance from AFP units and various sectors.