MANILA, Philippines ? Flood-stricken residents in a barangay (village) in Pasig City are up in arms over what they claim as insufficient supply of relief goods.
In Barangay Vic Per Malinao, still submerged in knee-deep floodwaters, some residents, who did not leave their homes despite the flood, tried in vain to get relief goods meant for those holed up in evacuation centers.
Volunteers could not give them anything since resident were not on the official list of evacuees inside the Eusebio Gym.
Divine Paguia, who chose not to leave her rented house, went to the gym to ask for relief goods. But she was not on the list so she left empty handed with other residents.
?I went there hoping to get something that my family can eat,? Paguia said. ?What we can't understand is that we are all victims here but there are no relief goods for us outside of evacuation centers.?
?All we're eating is camote (sweet potato) crops and tuyo (dried fish). We wanted to go to Zamboanga but we don't have any money left either,? said Paguia, whose husband is a cabbie but is left without work after his vehicle became submerged in floodwaters.
Department of Social Welfare and Development volunteer (DSWD) Salve Beronio explained that there was simply not enough supply for everyone, much as they wanted to give all the victims.
According to Beronio, their original tally was 102 families but the number ballooned to 300 in the past two days.
?We can only settle to the original list or at least add when there are extra or it will be very difficult for us. I know they are mad but we have forwarded this matter to the municipal level,? said Beronio, one of only three volunteers servicing the 300 families.
Beronio also noted that evacuees in the gym are in need of food and potable water especially infants.
?I hope that there could be additional volunteers here but most of all, I wish that other victims of flood outside the evacuation center can be more patient,? she said. ?We will try to prioritize them when the next shipment of relief goods arrives.?
