DSWD delivers P12.5M worth of assistance to flood victims

TEMPORARY SHELTER Some 500 families displaced by Sunday’s floods seek shelter at the covered court of Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City. —GRIG C.MONTEGRANDE

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has delivered P12.5 million worth of relief supplies to families affected by floods brought about by the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat.

In a statement on Monday, the DSWD announced that the bulk of the assistance, about P12.18 million, was given to local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila.

“To date, DSWD has delivered a total of 16,500 family food packs (FFPs) and 11,370 non-food items, composed of 10,000 sleeping kits and 1,370 mats, to the affected LGUs in the region (Metro Manila),” the agency stated.

The DSWD disclosed that some 14,082 families or 62,584 persons are currently staying in 140 evacuation centers.

DSWD field offices in other affected regions are also closely coordinating with LGUs for the provision of assistance.

“The DSWD will continue to coordinate closely with the affected LGUs and with their City and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices for the provision of further assistance and augmentation support,” Social Welfare Secretary Virginia Orogo said.

Citing a report from the DSWD-Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB), the agency said torrential rains and massive floods over the weekend affected a total of 28,101 families or 132,259 individuals in Metro Manila, Regions I and III, Calabarzon, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Orogo also called on the public to stay alert and to always heed the warnings issued by their barangays and LGUs.

“We call on our fellow citizens to be vigilant and to coordinate with local disaster agencies in their communities. Rest assured that the DSWD will continue to coordinate closely with the affected LGUs and with their City and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices (MSWDO) for the provision of further assistance and augmentation support,” she said. /ee 

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READ: Calabarzon floods: Nearly 36,000 people, including 400 BJMP detainees, evacuated