Gov’t agencies assure Mindanao quake survivors of relief

A number of government agencies said on Monday they had taken steps to ensure relief for survivors of last month’s series of earthquakes in Mindanao.

The Insurance Commission has asked insurers to fast-track claims from survivors as it activated on Monday its “Agarang Proseso, Benepisyo ay Sigurado” program, with the regulator’s district office in Davao City serving as claims action center.

Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa said his agency had “directed insurance companies to put up a system to guarantee the speedy processing of claims upon submission of minimum documentary requirements.”

“We requested insurance providers to relax claims requirements such as documentary evidence and notices of loss for the victims of the earthquakes in Mindanao,” he added.

Clean water supply

The Department of Health (DOH) said it was working to ensure adequate supply of clean water.

“We have to be mindful of hygienic practices, of the water used for cooking and drinking because we don’t want to have an outbreak of diseases,” Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said in an interview.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) assured migrant workers from Mindanao that their families would receive aid from the agency.

“We will help the OFWs’ (overseas Filipino workers) families gravely affected by the earthquakes. We are just determining the number of OFW families affected,” Owwa Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said on Monday.

8 missing in Makilala

At least eight people have remained missing in Makilala, Cotabato, four days after the last earthquake so far, at 6.5 magnitude, according to Joemar Cerebo, spokesperson for the provincial emergency operations center.

The death toll in the province since the Oct. 16 6.3-magnitude quake has reached 17, Cerebo said in an update on Monday.

Rescuers were still searching for the missing, he added.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana sought to clarify the differing assessments of the situation in Mindanao.

“My initial statement of [a] humanitarian crisis was taken from [an] unverified source. Undersecretary (Ricardo) Jalad of NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council), who was there (Mindanao) until yesterday (Sunday) reported that it is not [the case].”

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) called on the public for more donations to sustain its efforts.

The PRC accepts donations through its BDO account: Peso Savings 00-453-0190938, Dollar Savings 10-453-0039482 with Swift Code BNORPHMM; BPI Peso Savings 4991-0036-52 with Swift Code BOPIPHMM; and Metrobank Peso Savings 151-7-151524342, Dollar Savings 151-2-151002182 with Swift Code MBTCPHMM. Donations may also be sent via Paypal at [email protected].—Reports from Ben O. de Vera, Jovic Yee, Bong S. Sarmiento, Edwin O. Fernandez, Abner Francisco, Jeannette I. Andrade and Marlon Ramos