DSWD considers alternative relief assistance

AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—A month after Supertyphoon ‘Yolanda’ (international name: Haiyan) struck the Philippines, the Department of Social Welfare and Development is checking out other alternatives to food assistance for affected residents after December 31.

“Task force for food and water have started localized repacking to minimize security demand. The DSWD will continue the food assistance until Dec. 31 and will consider alternative relief assistance afterwards such as food-for-work,” the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Tuesday.

The DSWD has so far provided P751,871,761.44 worth of relief assistance to affected regions.

Based on the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub, the Philippines has received P591,174,158.91 worth of foreign aid.

Dead and missing from Supertyphoon “Yolanda” that struck last month neared almost 8,000.

Official number of fatalities was at 5,936, while the missing persons remained at 1,779.

Local chief executives and health officers must first submit an official record before the number of newly recovered fatalities gets added to the NDRRMC list. This caused a slower death count.

The monster typhoon affected a population of 12 million—with 4 million displaced in shelters.

Damage to infrastructure and agriculture was at P35 billion.

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