MANILA, Philippines — Several medicines are needed in Antique after Severe Tropical Storm Paeng battered parts of the country, Governor Rhodora Cadiao said on Wednesday.
In a Laging Handa public briefing, Cadiao was asked what the province needed aside from basic commodities.
“Well, medicines, gamot, lalo na sa hospitals… Kasi syempre nagbaha ‘di ba? So, may mga lamok, ang daming lamok, dengue kaagad.
(Well, medicines, especially for hospitals… It flooded, right? So, there are many mosquitoes that may cause dengue.)
“Leptospirosis, ‘yan ang isa pa, ang sakit sa tiyan, mga LBM (loose bowel movement),” she answered.
(Another disease is Leptospirosis, as well as stomach aches and LBM.)
Aside from medicines, secondhand clothes and blankets may also help residents affected by Paeng, said Cadiao.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development recently said they would distribute a health kit containing non-prescription medicines after learning that some evacuees in Maguindanao caught colds and fevers.
READ: DSWD to distribute non-prescription medicines to Paeng victims
Saving livestock
Meanwhile, Cadiao said that ten individuals in Antique were declared dead due to drowning.
The governor shared that most of them lost their lives trying to save their animals.
“Ang malungkot pa rito halos lahat ng nalunod na ‘yan ay they were just trying to save their animals. Just to save their livestock, nagsulong sila sa malakas na tubig. Doon sila namatay,” she said.
(The sad part is most of those who drowned were just trying to save their animals. Just to save their livestock, they braved the strong currents. They died there.)
Cadiao admitted that they “underestimated the effects of these rains.”
She also told the public that “climate change is real” and urged them to take care.
The Paeng death toll is currently at 121.
READ: Death toll from Paeng rises to 121; affected individuals now over 3 million
Around three million individuals have been affected by the cyclone. —Kristelle Anne Razon, trainee