CIANJUR (January 21, 2023) - The Ministry of Social Affairs continues to handle the impact of the Cianjur earthquake despite the lifted emergency response status on December 20, 2022. Notably, the Ministry of Social Affairs assist the community's in-kind needs until March 2023.

"We (Ministry of Social Affairs) are staying in Cianjur for three months, until March 2023. Until now, the public kitchen is still running. We still really need the need for in-kind and other things, including rice," said the Acting Director of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (PSKBA) of the Ministry of Social Affairs Adrianus Alla in Jakarta, Friday (20/1).

In handling disasters like in Cianjur, the Ministry of Social Affairs synergizes with the community. Helping hands from various parties are deemed necessary to speed up the recovery process for the Cianjur earthquake disaster.

"If we only rely on the government, especially the Ministry of Social Affairs, to solve problems, we are very limited. But, with the support and involvement of all parties, we hope that we can handle this problem quickly and completely within the next three months before they (Cianjur earthquake survivors) live in permanent housing," added Alla.

Likewise, on Friday (20/1), the Ministry of Social Affairs received assistance in the form of 3.5 tons of rice (70 sacks of rice weighing 50 kg/sack), 300 school bags, and 300 children's food packages, as well as 150 boxes of medical masks from the Ibnu Foundation. Sina Peduli (Hands for Help) in Jakarta. The assistance was received by the Ministry of Social Affairs and put into two Ministry of Social Affairs trucks to be delivered directly to Cianjur Regency on the same day.

Chair of the Ibnu Sina Peduli Foundation, Melina Alaydroes, who also supervised the loading process of the goods, said that this was the third time aid for handling the Cianjur earthquake had been distributed through the Ministry of Social Affairs since the Cianjur earthquake occurred on November 21, 2022.

"This is the third time we have distributed Hands for Help's assistance to Cianjur through the Ministry of Social Affairs. Previously, the assistance has been distributed consecutively in December and November 2022," said Melina.

Melina stated her foundation is ready to help ease the work of the Ministry of Social Affairs in dealing with disaster problems whenever necessary.

"We are ready, especially with materials and personnel, to help if the Ministry of Social Affairs has needs in dealing with disasters or any problems, for example, disabled children, stunting, then orphanages that need attention, school children, sick people, and people abandoned," she said.

Meanwhile, two trucks containing goods from Jakarta to Cianjur were dropped off at the Cianjur Regency Social Office and received by the Head of the Cianjur Regency Social Office, Asep Suparman. Regarding the distribution mechanism, he stated that he would immediately distribute it according to the needs of the field.

“God willing, we will distribute the assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs soon, such as rice for the public kitchens to fulfill the evacuees' needs. Following the mandate, we will distribute the bags and food packages for children to Surya Kencana Elementary School in the Cugenang District area," Asep explained.

Furthermore, Asep said he would first inventory the number of recipients according to BNBA (by name by address) so that his party could be accountable for their trust as best as possible.

"We would like to express our gratitude, whatever assistance from donors and volunteers, God willing, will benefit the affected communities in 16 sub-districts in Cianjur Regency," he said.

Public Relations Bureau
Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs