By Jose Cielito Reganit | Philippine News Agency
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Sec. Rex Gatchalian flew to Camarines Sur early Friday on orders from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to monitor the on-ground situation and the ongoing disaster operations across the province, which was battered by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name Trami).
Upon arrival in Camarines Sur, Gatchalian immediately informed the President about the latest developments in the response efforts of the local government units (LGUs) in the province.
“In Camarines Sur, nine towns out of 36 towns are still fully submerged. Then, around six towns are still partially submerged. The province has been doing the food distribution house-to-house using boats. Every area has already been penetrated by the province,” he reported to the President.
Gatchalian also informed Marcos that his department would augment the province’s food capacities.
“Sir, we are augmenting the province’s food capacities. We have enough goods on the ground. The province has set up triage camps on both sides of Maharlika Highway that has been cut off. They are serving food and have medicine on site,” he told the President.
Gatchalian also met with Naga City Mayor Nelson Legacion, whose city was one of the hardest hit by Kristine in Camarines Sur.
The welfare chief was joined by his agency’s Field Office 5 – Bicol Regional Director Norman Laurio in the situation briefings with local chief executives, led by CamSur Gov. Luigi Villafuerte and 2nd District Rep. Lray Villafuerte, and disaster response authorities to discuss relief operations.
The DSWD Secretary visited various evacuation sites across the province and personally oversaw the distribution of the Department’s relief assistance to families displaced by widespread flooding and gusty rainfall.
In a Presidential Communications Office (PCO) press briefing on the government’s response to Kristine on Thursday, Gatchalian emphasized that his department has been working double-time to ensure prompt response to the hardest-hit communities, including areas in the Bicol Region.
“So, now we are focusing our efforts on Naga and Camarines Sur and we continuously talk to the local chief executives—’yong governor, yong mayors nila—na kapag bumaba na at humupa na yung tubig kaya na nila mag-withdraw sa aming mga warehouse; puwede na nila kunin ’yon anytime nag-aantay ’yon,” he told reporters.
DSWD aid to storm-hit areas now P111-M
Meanwhile, Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the DSWD has so far extended P111,133,601 worth of humanitarian assistance to Kristine-hit families.
“We have already provided over P111 million in augmentation support to LGUs. These include not just family food packs (FFPs), but also non-food items (NFIs), such as family, hygiene, kitchen, and sleeping kits; water containers; and shelter materials like family tents and modular tents, particularly to our evacuees,” Dumlao said.
The amount reflects 150,752 FFPs and 3,231 NFIs distributed so far, the bulk of which (86,541 FFPs) were released to Bicol Region.
“We still have sufficient supplies that can be readily tapped by our LGUs in their relief operations. As assured by Secretary Gatchalian, we are also ready to provide cash aid to assist the recovery of our countrymen as soon as possible. Makakaasa kayo na ang pamahalaang nasyonal ay nakatutok sa mga pangangailangan ng bawat apektadong mamamayan,” she said
Based on the 6:00 a.m. Oct. 25 report of the DSWD – Disaster Response Operations Management, Information and Communication (DROMIC), 805,684 families or 3,330,842 individuals from 5,457 barangays from Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, SOCCSKSARGEN, National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have been affected by Kristine.
