By Brian Campued
Following a meeting with concerned local chief executives on Wednesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the release of P321 million to 35 provinces and seven cities affected by recent inclement weather conditions.
The directive was announced by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on Saturday to enable local government units (LGUs) to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure and help their constituents who were displaced by Tropical Storm Basyang (international name: Penha) and the shear line.
“The assistance would allow these communities to recover as expeditiously as possible from the recent weather events,” Recto said, according to the Presidential Communications Office.
“It’s part of the President’s initiatives to support LGUs and their constituents,” he added.
The 42 localities that will receive the financial support are as follows:
- Surigao del Sur
- Surigao del Norte
- Dinagat Islands
- Negros Oriental
- Agusan del Norte
- Agusan del Sur
- Misamis Oriental
- Bohol
- Negros Occidental
- Capiz
- Aklan
- Leyte
- Cebu
- Catanduanes
- Iloilo
- Camarines Sur
- Camiguin
- Eastern Samar
- Sorsogon
- Misamis Occidental
- Southern Leyte
- Masbate
- Lanao del Norte
- Antique
- Davao de Oro
- Davao del Norte
- Camarines Norte
- Bukidnon
- Siquijor
- Zamboanga del Norte
- Samar
- Northern Samar
- Occidental Mindoro
- Oriental Mindoro
- Iligan City
- Cagayan de Oro City
- Bacolod City
- Butuan City
- Cebu City
- Zamboanga City
- Iloilo City
- Mandaue City
To ensure that the financial aid is used for disaster response, the Executive Secretary also directed recipient-LGUs to submit reports on the use of the funds.
Based on the situational report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Feb. 10, a total of 182,352 families or 645,612 individuals were affected by Basyang and the shear line.
Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has reported at least 12 fatalities in the wake of the storm.
-jpv
