THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) yesterday said the number of individuals affected by super typhoon “Egay” has reached nearly three million.
In a situation report, the NDRRMC said that as yesterday morning, 781,728 families or 2,930,200 individuals have been affected by Egay which left the country last week. It was an increase from last Tuesday’s figure of 766,789 families (2,868,373 individuals).
Those affected are from 4,748 barangays in 13 regions — Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao (BARRM), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and National Capital Region.
Central Luzon remained the region with the most affected population with 329,470 families (1,149,314 individuals) followed by Ilocos (214,141 families or 918,458 individuals) and CAR (110,717 families or 389,214 individuals).
Of the total affected population, 15,552 families (57,532 individuals) are still housed in 656 evacuation centers while 57,153 families (230,507 individuals) are staying with relatives or friends.
The death toll remained at 27 — 12 in CAR, eight in Ilocos, four in Calabarzon, two in Western Visayas and one in Davao.
NDRRMC reported a slightly lower cost of damage to infrastructure and agriculture in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas and CAR yesterday. From P5.49 billion on Wednesday, it was down to P5.46 billion yesterday.
The cost of damage to infrastructure is at P3.55 billion (from P3.52 billion) while the cost of damage to agriculture is now at P1.91 billion (from P1.97 billion).
The number of damaged houses also rose to 55,584 from 50,649. These are in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, BARMM and CAR.
Nine provinces (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Pampanga, Bataan, Cavite, Abra, Apayao, Mountain Province) and 18 cities and municipalities have declared states of calamity.
The NDRRMC also said P239.22 million worth of assistance, mostly food packs, has been already provided to those affected in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Davao, BARMM, CAR and NCR.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development yesterday started distribution of emergency cash transfer (ECT) to the affected families.
There were 6,641 ECT beneficiaries in Ilocos, said the DSWD Field Office I.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the payout is in line with President Marcos Jr’s instruction for the department to focus on early recovery and rehabilitation of individuals severely affected by Egay and the enhanced southwest monsoon.
The department is set to distribute similar cash aid, on top of the family food packs, in Mountain Province on August 11.
DSWD-CAR director Leo Quintilla said 385 beneficiaries have been identified.
Gatchalian has directed regional directors to fast-track preparations for the rollout of the ECT program in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, Mountain Province and Cagayan, and in the municipality of Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro.
He said that aside from the ECT program, the DSWD will also implement a 30 to 45-day cash-for-work (CFW) program to provide alternative livelihood to typhoon-affected residents as part of their early recovery and rehabilitation after the calamity.
The DSWD also instructed drivers of delivery trucks as trucks of local government units to display the signage “Typhoon Egay DSWD Disaster Operations, Do Not Delay” on their windshields to prevent delays in deliveries.
Assistant Secretary for local engagement Ulysses Aguilar asked the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) not to arrest the delivery trucks bearing the signage for violating the truck ban.
He also asked the DSWD regional directors to send the license plate numbers of all delivery trucks as well as the names of the drivers, which will be forwarded to the MMDA’s Traffic Enforcement Group.
The DSWD has also been assisting communities in Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Western Visayas affected by typhoon “Falcon” which came after Egay and which has also left the country.
DSWD said 2.38 million people or 650,077 families from 1,000 barangays in the three regions have been affected by Falcon, and over P56.2 million worth of has been distributed to them. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
