The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will expand its Aruga (care) project that looks into the welfare of children with disabilities in Antique’s capital town.

“San Jose de Buenavista, which is a pilot site of the project in 2025, will again be included in the expansion this year,” said San Jose de Buenavista Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) head Amie Dava in an interview on Monday.

Aruga was piloted in San Jose de Buenavista with 100 PWD children receiving financial assistance of PHP2,000 per month for their educational, medical, transportation, and other needs.

She said she would know the number of recipients and other details for the expansion during their meeting at the DSWD Central Office on Jan. 19-23.

San Jose de Buenavista has around 309 children with disabilities, most of whom have cerebral palsy, so the expansion is very much anticipated.

“The 100 initial beneficiaries last year were greatly helped in terms of their holistic development and therapy,” Dava said.

In a separate interview, San Jose de Buenavista Mayor Paul Joseph Untaran said that their local government has allocated PHP500,000 to support this year’s implementation.

“Our LGU is supporting the project by having our own additional children as beneficiaries,” he said. (PNA)