DA allots P230 million to aid farmers, fishers in Auring-hit Surigao del Sur

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture has allotted P230 million to aid farmers and fishermen affected by Tropical Storm Auring in Surigao del Sur, Secretary William Dar said in a pre-recorded briefing on Tuesday with President Rodrigo Duterte in that Mindanao province.

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry will also send aid to 1,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises affected by Auring, Secretary Ramon Lopez said.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will also give 30 fiberglass motorized boats to every municipality of Surigao del Sur and will tap 250 emergency workers for every municipality.

“I was informed by the governor that out of the 19 municipalities, 18 are coastal towns. So we’re giving them 30 motorized fiberglass bancas,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in the same briefing.

The storm did not inflict any damage on any energy infrastructure in the province and the power supply in most municipalities had already been restored, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

Earlier, Office of Civil Defense chief Ricardo Jalad said 29,000 families, or 112,734 individuals, were affected by the storm, citing data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

A total of 240 houses were damaged, 60 of which were totally damaged and 180 partially damaged, he added.

A total of 12 roads and a bridge were damaged by Auring, but seven of the roads were already passable, Jalad said.

On Monday, Auring weakened from a tropical depression to a low pressure area, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

Most areas in the country can expect better weather starting Wednesday due to the dissipation of the storm into a low-pressure area.

[atm]