The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be helping the families of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos recently killed in an encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said the Department received a list of the slain policemen.

“I was instructed by President Aquino to provide assistance to the bereaved families… We shall  extend government’s help to them since they lost their breadwinner. We also extend our sympathies and condolences to our fallen SAF policemen,” Sec. Soliman explained.

The DSWD will provide psychosocial counseling to the policemen’s families, as well as educational and livelihood support.

Other forms of aid will be given to the families, which will be determined by the results of the counseling sessions.

At the same time, Sec. Soliman said that a bank account has been opened to receive donations for the families.

Interested donors may deposit to Landbank of the Philippines (Batasan Branch) Peso Current Account No. 3122-1026-28 under DSWD Donation Account for Armed Conflict in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Aid for displaced families

Since Monday, the DSWD has distributed more than 600 food packs to the displaced residents in Mamasapano who have fled their communities because of the incident.

The Department has also provided P25,000 in assistance each to the families of four civilians killed in the encounter.

On the other hand, P10,000 was given to each of the four wounded civilians. One is still recuperating in the hospital, while the three others have already been discharged.