By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Robin Padilla has introduced a bill aimed at providing assistance to families affected by terror attacks.
Senate Bill No. 2511, titled the Terror Victims Assistance Act of 2023, seeks to establish a program for offering support to victims and the families of those who lost their lives during terror attacks, facilitated through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“In most cases, if not all, victims of these heinous acts, who have endured injuries and the families of those killed in terror attacks, are left to shoulder mounting expenses, including but not limited to medical, burial, transportation, and even long-term rehabilitation,” the bill states.
According to the proposed measure, the State will provide financial, material, psychosocial, and referral support and services to individuals and households affected by terrorism. The goal is to ensure the prompt and efficient delivery of such assistance.
The assistance encompasses financial aid, burial support, material assistance, medical support, psychosocial aid, and rehabilitation.
The Terror Victims Assistance Program (TVAP) is slated to be established as a government initiative under the DSWD. Eligible beneficiaries include the immediate families of those killed and those who sustained injuries.
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