AS PART of its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, Department of Social Welfare and Development’s distributed P3 million in financial aid to thousands of residents in Murica, Negros Occidental recently, a statement from the town government said on Thursday, April 28.The AICS is a social safety net or a stop-gap mechanism to support the recovery of individuals and families from unexpected crisis, such as illness or death of a family member, and other crisis situations like the Covid pandemic.The fund was facilitated by the Office of Senator Christopher Lawrence Go and coordinated with the Municipal Government of Murcia headed by Mayor Gerry Rojas.The provincial staff of the DSWD, assisted by Murcia’s DSWD staff, distributed the payout at the Murcia Gymnasium to the beneficiaries who each received P3,000.“We thank Senator Bong Go for facilitating this assistance through DSWD for the Murciahanon PWD’s, single parents, drivers and other indigent residents,” Rojas said, adding that the distribution was already the second tranche of the said cash assistance program.The first distribution was in December last year, he said.For his part, Lawrence Chua, who is the representative of the senator’s Visayas Office, reiterated that the funds did not come from the personal money of President Rodrigo Duterte nor from that of Go.“This is your money… the taxpayers’ money which this government is giving back to you to help you in these challenging times,” Chua said.“If your LGU is not diligent in collecting and submitting the requirements, and in following up this request, you might not be able to avail of this assistance,” he stressed.Chua noted that thousands of Negrenses have already availed of the cash assistance. (PR)