DSWD extends aid to victims of MV Trisha Kerstin 3

By Trisha Matabalan, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
January 27, 2026

(Photo courtesy: Department of Social Welfare and Development – DSWD/Facebook)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — On January 26, passenger ferry MV Trisha Kerstin 3 capsized near Basilan province in the Bangsamoro region of the southern Philippines, with 316 rescued, 18 dead, and 10 missing.

In a Facebook post today, January 27, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian states that DSWD Field Office IX-Zamboanga Peninsula acted quickly in order to provide aid and help towards the affected families.

He goes on to add that, “Nagpaabot ang DSWD ng tulong-pinansyal sa mga survivors at sa pamilya ng mga nasawi upang makatulong sa kanilang agarang pangangailangan, kasabay ng pamamahagi ng ready-to-eat food boxes para masiguro na may sapat na pagkain ang mga pamilyang pansamantalang nananatili sa Isabela City Port.”

(DSWD has reached out with financial aid to the survivors and the families of those who passed in order to help with their urgent needs, along with the sharing of ready-to-eat food boxes in order to ascertain that there is adequate food for families who are temporarily staying at Isabela City Port.)

They went on to add that they distributed Php5,000 to 55 survivors and Php10,000 to families to have been left bereaved by the incident.

DSWD is partnering with the LGU of Basilan and the Philippine Coast Guard in order to monitor the situation and to ensure that proper help is given to the survivors and affected citizens so they can go home safely. According to the agency, social workers have been deployed in both Zamboanga Port and Isabela Port to conduct stress debriefing sessions and to provide assessment and profiling of the victims and survivors.