MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended its condolences to the family of its employee who went missing and was later found dead in Bulacan.

The agency assured the bereaved family of necessary assistance to cope with their situation.

Justine Charles Accad, an employee of the DSWD-Field Office National Capital Region, went missing on February 19 and was found dead two days later, his body stuffed inside a sack and abandoned in a grassy lot in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

The department is currently coordinating with the proper authorities for the investigation of the case, allaying fears of agency personnel —especially disbursing officers — that it continues to put a premium on their safety and interest.

The DSWD said, it recognizes the efforts of field workers to deliver the necessary assistance to program beneficiaries despite threats to their health and safety and vows to provide more protection for their employees to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, the field office has processed the burial and financial assistance for the family, as well as the transportation assistance for the mother of Accad who will be travelling from Zamboanga City to Manila.

The department has promised to continue providing assistance to Accad’s family as they go through this difficult period.

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it is ready to provide aid to the local government units in need of assistance due to Taal Volcano’s renewed unrest.

In a statement, the DSWD said its field office in Region IV-A has more than P2.6 million worth of family food packs (FFPs) and over P8.5 million worth of available relief supplies for repacking. It also has more than P8.3 million standby funds that can be used to procure additional emergency relief supplies.

“The FO has also placed its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) under heightened alert to monitor volcanic activities and to provide technical assistance to municipalities that will require assistance,” according to the DSWD.

Meanwhile, the department urged residents in areas near the Taal Volcano to be vigilant and to strictly follow the orders of local authorities for their own safety. AAC

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate may approve next week a bill that seeks to establish a P500-million national indemnity fund that will be used to compensate any inoculated person who might experience a severe adverse effect, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Wednesday.

During the Laging Handa briefing, Zubiri said the measure may be ratified on Monday if Malacañang will issue a certification of urgency to expedite its passage.

“Hopefully, we can ratify this by Monday next week, ibibigay po namin ito sa Malacañang for the signature of the president. Hopefully, by the end of the month, maging batas na ito kung pirmahan agad ni president,” he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier expressed readiness to certify as urgent the passage of bills creating an indemnification agreement and advance market commitment to speed up COVID-19 negotiations and deliveries.

An indemnification clause refers to the agreement reached between stakeholders identifying the party that would take responsibility in case those receiving the jabs experienced adverse side effects.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said he has been communicating with lawmakers to fast-track the pending bills.

“Para po magkaroon ng proteksyon ang ating DOH personnel and at the same time yung manufacturer from any possible law suit considering that yung pagpunta ng vaccine dito ay under clinical trial number 3 o tinatawag nating emergency use authorization only,” he said.

Zubiri said the Senate was supposed to pass Senate Bill 2057 on second reading on Tuesday but it was deferred due to the absence of resource persons who could provide answers regarding the matter.

The measure proposes to authorize the Department of Health and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 to undertake negotiated procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as necessary supplies and services related to the immunization program by allowing local government units (LGUs) and private entities to directly procure COVID-19 vaccines with their own funds, provided that they do so within a tripartite mechanism with the DOH and the NTF-COVID-19.

The measure also seeks to establish a COVID-19 National Indemnity Fund to compensate any person who has been vaccinated and experiences serious adverse side effects or even death.