This handout photo taken on December 25, 2022 and received on December 26 from the Philippine Coast Guard shows rescuers evacuating people from a flooded area in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. (Photo by Handout / Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has assured residents of flooded towns in the Visayas and in Mindanao that its regional and provincial offices are now working to send aid.
DSWD officer-in-charge and Undersecretary Eduardo Punay, accompanied by other officials, including Assistant Secretary for Visayas Affairs Ma. Evelyn Macapobre, distributed aid to Eastern Samar residents affected by the Christmas weekend flash floods.
“OIC Punay, together with staff of DSWD Field Office (FO) VIII, paid a courtesy visit to Llorente, Eastern Samar Mayor Daniel Boco to discuss the status of their disaster response operations since the municipality is one of the areas greatly affected by flooding,” the DSWD said in a statement on Thursday.
“The OIC also supervised the distribution of financial assistance, under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, and family food packs (FFPs) to about 1,030 family beneficiaries in the municipality,” it added.
Families in other provinces including the Bicol Region would also be assisted, DSWD said, adding that over 1,000 families in Gingoog, Misamis Oriental, have already received cash aid and relief items on Wednesday.
The towns of Clarin, Tudela, and Jimenez in Misamis Occidental also received assistance on Thursday.
“The DSWD FO-X (Field Office-X) also delivered 3,000 family food packs (FFPs) to the Provincial Government of Misamis Occidental for distribution to the affected families and individuals. Quick Response Teams (QRTs) of DSWD FO X are also assisting concerned LGUs in the validation and assessment of their affected constituents,” the DSWD said.
“The DSWD FO Caraga, on the other hand, also facilitated the delivery of 1,786 FFPs and 2,999 FFPs to the LGUs of Gigaquit and Bacuag in Surigao del Norte, respectively,” it added. “As of December 28 6PM, the Department has already augmented food and non-food items worth more than P16 million to local government units (LGUs) in Regions V, VI, VIII, IX, X, XI, and Caraga.”
The floods that hit Eastern Visayas and parts of Mindanao were caused by a shear line, or the convergence of warm winds from the south and the cold winds from the northeast monsoon or amihan.
READ: Floods drive thousands to shelters on Christmas
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the death toll due to the rains induced by the shear line has reached 39, with most of the deaths in Northern Mindanao with 21; followed by the Bicol Region (six); the Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao Region (four each); Eastern Visayas (three); and Caraga (one).
READ: Death toll due to shear line-induced rain now at 39 — NDRRMC
The DSWD said at least 22,292 families or 91,874 persons are still staying in 328 evacuation centers spread across the Bicol Region, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, and Caraga. Meanwhile, 19,449 families or 86,690 individuals are staying with their relatives or friends.