Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo said they finished distributing cash aid to social pensioners early on Saturday in Tanay where eight persons died when their jeep was hit by a wave when they were crossing the final river to reach their barangay.

In an interview with dzBB on Monday, Tulfo said the schedule of their payout to social pensioners, who are mandated to receive P500 once every two months, was from 10 am to 2 pm.

"We requested an investigation and the Tanay PNP’s (Philippine National Police) investigation is ongoing. They are still asking the driver what happened and why they forced themselves to drive even if they know the current of the river is strong," Tulfo said.

"I don’t want to blame anyone because the PNP is still investigating that. The payout finished early and they also received their cash aid early. But I heard they still went shopping in the city proper,” he added.

Tulfo said the DSWD will sponsor the burial expenses and give P10,000 cash aid and food packs to the families of the eight victims who died.

The injured woman will have hospital and medical expenses paid by the agency as well as receive cash aid worth P5,000 and food packs, he added.

On Saturday night, eight people died, including seven senior citizens and a child, when a jeep got swept away by a flash flood in Barangay Sta. Ines, Tanay.

In a GMA News report, jeepney driver Jumel Agarin said the line of senior citizens withdrawing their cash aid from Landbank was so long, it took them until 6 pm to finish.

When they had boarded the jeepney, it was late in the evening and they got caught in the rain, he added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS