Filipino held hostage by Hamas receives ₱630,000 aid from gov't

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 21) — The Philippine government on Wednesday released ₱630,000 worth of financial aid to Jimmy Pacheco, a Filipino caregiver taken hostage by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Pacheco went missing on Oct. 7 – the day Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel.

The Filipino worker was among the first batch of hostages freed in late November. He returned home on Dec. 18.

«We know that this aid package cannot undo the physical and psychological scars that Jimmy Pacheco suffered while being held hostage in Gaza,» House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a statement.

«But we do hope that this government assistance will send a message to Jimmy, his family and to all Filipinos that the government is there for you,» he added.

Pacheco received ₱500,000 in cash from the Office of the Speaker. He and his wife were also given ₱10,000 each from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

His three children also received ₱5,000 each from the DSWD.

In addition, Pacheco and his wife received ₱95,000 in livelihood assistance from the DSWD and the Department of Labor and Employment.