KALIBO, Aklan -- The residents of this quiet and peaceful town are desperately crying out for food, water and other assistance more than a week after typhoon "Frank" (international codename: Fenghsen) ravaged Western Visayas.

While eyes are mostly focused on the death and destruction the typhoon brought to Iloilo, and the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars near Sibuyan Island, this capital town of Aklan and provincial center of business, education and government is still buried in at least ankle-high mud with no electricity, water, phone lines and food.

Life in this town of 71,000 residents has grounded to a halt.

"Everything is at a standstill from a personal level up to the government and institutions. We are in disbelief," former Aklan Representative Allen Quimpo told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) Sunday night as he helped arrangements to airlift of Representative Florencio Miraflores to Manila.

Miraflores suffered a mild stroke after days of supervising relief work and was taken to Manila on a chartered plane 12 a.m. Monday. He is now recovering at the Philippine Health Center.

Some residents said relief and rehabilitation work has not been fast and wide enough.

"It's very slow and by the time we got help, some of us already died," said Roberto Villanueva, 47, father of three.

Most vendors have not gone back to their livelihood and are lining up along the Pastrana Park, the town's public plaza, begging for food and water and waiting to mob the next vehicle that comes along carrying relief goods.

"I haven't sold anything since [June 21] and even if we can find rice at P18.25 a kilo, I don't have any money to buy it with," said 31-year-old Ariel Pioquid, a rice cake vendor who was among those sitting near the plaza waiting for relief goods to arrive.

Pioquid said rice has been priced P150 per ganta (P66 per kilo) despite pronouncements of authorities that they are monitoring the prices of prime commodities.

George Calaor, spokesperson of the provincial chapter of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan, New Patriotic Alliance), said the "slow and inadequate" response of national government agencies to the overwhelming crisis has further worsened the situation of poor communities especially at C. Laserna Street, one of the hardest hit areas along the Aklan River.

"Many do not have a house to return to and the they cannot yet earn any livelihood because they have lost everything, even the hammers and saws of carpenters and food baskets of vendors," said Calaor.

Bayan and its allied organizations have launched Task Force Tabang to gather and distribute relief assistance to victims especially in poor communities.

While the water supply has been partially restored by the Metro Kalibo Water District, the water coming out from faucets is still murky and unsafe for drinking. Residents either boil it or buy bottled water.

The flow of information remained limited as radio stations here have yet to resume broadcast and residents have to rely on broadcasts from Roxas City in Capiz.

Classes at all levels remain suspended as most schools were destroyed or damaged, with residents hardly able to walk through the slippery and smelly mud, debris, fallen trees and toppled electric posts.

Most stores, including fastfood chains, remained closed as employees continue the cleanup, washing mud and debris with the limited water available or repair structures and equipment.

The residents are short of cash as automated teller machines (ATMs) of banks are all down because of damaged computers and buildings. Bank customers line up for hours to withdraw cash over the counter in a few banks that have reopened.

The operations of the provincial and municipal government have focused on disaster relief operations, cleaning up of the muddied streets and structure and the restoration of basic services. All other functions and offices remain suspended because the provincial capitol was among the hardest hit by the mudflow.

The flood destroyed or damaged records and files of offices, including the accounting and assessor departments. Muddied and still wet computers, chairs and tables have been piled with drenched file folders along hallways and in front of offices.

Office and court hearings have also been indefinitely suspended at the two-story Godofredo P. Ramos Hall of Justice after strong winds, heavy rains and mud flow drenched court documents and equipment and blew off the roof and ceiling of court rooms.

Most residents are still in their homes trying to wash off the mud from every piece of furniture, kitchenware and other household items that managed to survive the mudflow.

While other families can afford to go to neighboring Capiz province or to Iloilo City to withdraw money from ATMs or have it sent by parcel by friends and families outside of Kalibo, poor residents have no choice but to depend on dole outs until they can find a living again.

"The people in poor communities still need the relief assistance," said Monsignor Jose Dollete, vicar general of the Kalibo Diocese.

Franklin Quimpo, consultant for barangay (village) affairs, said they catered to around 3,000 residents who flocked to the provincial capitol relief center to receive relief goods last Sunday.

But more assistance is needed.

Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez said there are "just too many victims" to attend to and relief goods are almost depleted.