DAVAO City -The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) expresses outrage over the killing of Cristina Morales Jose who was shot dead Monday evening in Barangay Binondo, Baganga, Davao Oriental.

Jose served as Barangay Kagawad and a local leader of Barug Katawhan and Bayan Muna.

“We condemn this act of violence committed against Kagawad Cristina Jose as we denounce other forms of violence instigated by anybody in a supposedly peaceful community,” stressed DSWD OIC Director Priscilla N. Razon.

“The DSWD is sincere in its commitment and we will abide with the agreement reached and signed last February 28 to really assist the affected families of Typhoon Pablo who were allegedly not provided sufficient relief assistance or those allegedly unreached communities,” Director Razon said.

Underscored in the Agreement signed last Thursday, “There is a need for validation in every Purok/Sitio in the concerned barangay to determine inadequacy/insufficiency of relief goods received. This will be a coordinated effort of Barug Katawhan, Balsa Mindanao, PLGU-Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, MLGU-Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, and DSWD Region XI.”

Further, Item 6 in the Agreement states, “It was sworn and duly agreed by Barug Katawhan, PNP-Davao City, and DSWD XI that there will be no action for retaliation against each one including fostering other means to cause break down to what have been agreed.”

Razon said, the department in coordination with the local government units, national agencies, non-government organizations, private sector, and international humanitarian agencies will intensify the more, provision of relief assistance to all affected families of Typhoon Pablo.

To fast track validation of disaster-affected families, the Department through its National Household Targeting Unit (NHTU) will deploy 531 enumerators to run the Rapid Assessment using the Household Needs Assessment Form (HNAF) from March 7 until March 29, 2013. Through this, DSWD will be able to best address the needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) or disaster affected persons. This will be conducted in coordination with Barug Katawhan, DSWD Region XI, PLGU-PSWDO, MLGU-MSWDO, BLGU, and Balsa Mindanao.