MANILA, Philippines ? The number of families depending on donated food and clothing in evacuation centers has reached more than half a million, the biggest the Department of Social Welfare and Development has had to respond to in so many years.
Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral on Wednesday said though previous typhoons in the provinces had been more devastating, Ondoy's impact was worst in the metropolis "because there are so many people here."
The DSWD said at least 503,273 people remained in 607 evacuation centers in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon and a few areas in Negros Occidental, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao as of yesterday morning.
Of these, at least 253,274 people (or 49,510) families are in Metro Manila.
Rizal has 94,021 evacuees while Laguna has 113,625 evacuees. In the metropolis, Quezon City reported the highest number of evacuees at 76,460 followed by Marikina City with 57,965.
Cabral said that aside from the DSWD's funds, donations from private groups also sustained the department's relief operations.
In the last four days, the DSWD has been distributing 12,500 food packs and 12,500 clothing packs every day.
Cabral said many of the evacuation centers would have to be maintained for seven to 10 more days.
But asked if resources would be sufficient to meet the needs of so many people, Cabral said she was optimistic that private donors would continue to augment government efforts.
Cabral visited a few evacuation centers on Wednesday to check the status of the affected families.
She came across 2,222 people at the Bagong Silangan Elementary School in Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City where evacuees, compared to other centers, had a relatively better food supply.
The city government had given enough food for a three-meals-per-day schedule?breakfast at 6-8 a.m., lunch at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and dinner at 6-8 p.m.?announced by a poster at the school's main stage, where rice and "pansit" (noodle dish) were being cooked.
But the social workers have asked for water jugs, more clothes and more sleeping mats for the families, some of whom were sleeping in a covered court just beside the caskets of relatives killed by Ondoy's wrath.
Cabral said the National Disaster Coordinating Council would provide a P10,000 burial assistance for every fatality because of Ondoy. Relatives will just need to present a death certificate and a certification from the city hall that it was due to the typhoon.
Cabral also went to the Diosdado Macapagal Elementary School in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City where more than 5,000 people depended on food rations.
Though the 3,500 victims of flooding had returned to their homes, but still go to the center for food), at least 1,942 people still stay in the school after losing their homes in a fire during the storm.
Cabral urged people to continue giving donations. But aside from food and clothes, she also asked for personal hygiene products like soap, toothpaste and shampoos.
She said: "When you have a lot of people confined in a small space not built to support this big number of people, you will have problems on sanitation and hygiene."
Cabral told the Inquirer that Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) Ambassador Donald Lee gave her a $50,000 check Wednesday morning as the Taiwanese government also promised to send doctors to help in medical missions in affected areas.
