MORE than P2.38 million worth of food and non-food relief aid had been distributed to families affected by continued rainfall in Mindanao due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which has resulted in flooding and landslides in some areas.
Data from the Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) division of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) showed that of the amount, P2,286 came from the agency, and P105,000 from the local government units (LGUs).
“In accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., we continue to coordinate with the local government units so we can send immediate aid and assurance to the affected families,” Social Welfare Assistant Secretary and spokeswoman Irene Dumlao said yesterday.
Dumlao said the DSWD’s Field Offices (FOs) in the affected regions are on high alert to ensure that family food packs (FFPs) and essential non-food items immediately reach the disaster-hit families.
The continued rains due to the ITCZ, since May 15, have affected 57,647 families or 176,962 people in 143 barangays from Regions IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), X (Northern Mindanao), XI (Davao Region), XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
A total of 3,296 families or 11,453 persons have been displaced, which include 1,564 families or 4,836 persons who are taking temporary shelters in 13 evacuation centers in Regions IX, XII and BARMM and 1,732 families or 6,617 persons who are temporarily staying with friends or relatives.
The DSWD said 119 houses in regions IX, X and XII have been damaged.
The DSWD still has over 3.2 billion worth of cash (P371 million) and stockpiles of family food packs and non-food relief items (P2.86 billion) such as hygiene, sleeping and cooking kits on standby and ready for distribution.
