NHA ordered to give P100-million aid to ‘Odette’ victims in Dinagat Islands

National Housing Authority (NHA) /Photo from nha.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the National Housing Authority (NHA) to provide P100 million worth of assistance to Dinagat Islands residents whose shelters were ravaged by Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai).

Acting presidential spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles announced this in a statement Thursday, specifically mentioning that the housing aid would benefit residents whether their houses were partially or totally damaged.

Duterte and other government officials visited typhoon victims in the province Wednesday and committed to providing the necessary means to expedite the reconstruction of houses and clearing operations in the area.

The Chief Executive likewise ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development to hand out cash assistance to affected families and continue providing family food packs to them.

READ: DSWD sends out relief goods all over Visayas, Mimaropa ahead of TS Odette landfall

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government was tasked to monitor and supervise the disbursement of the financial aid.

The Department of Energy, on the other hand, “will ensure the delivery of gasoline and other petroleum products to the Dinagat Islands,” the Palace assured.

READ: Food, water, fuel still scarce in typhoon-hit Visayas

Nograles then expressed anew the government’s appreciation to individuals and groups who extended help to typhoon victims.

“We again thank all generous allies in the international community, development partners, organizations, families, and individuals for the outpouring of support and compassion to our people,” he said.

“We also assure our kababayans that your government continues to work double time in its relief, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts to aid displaced families in hard-hit areas as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of the most devastating typhoon to hit our country this year,” he added.

On December 20, Dinagat Islands’ provincial information officer Jeff Crisostomo said that at least 14,000 houses in the province were totally damaged by the strongest tropical storm to hit the Philippines this year.

READ: ‘Odette’ killed 14 people, destroyed 14,000 houses in Dinagat Islands – official

The President recently declared a state of calamity in areas ravaged by Odette, particularly, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga.

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