By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Tropical Storm Basyang (international name: Penha) brought heavy rains and floods in Northern Mindanao, with the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cited among the hardest hit areas.
On February 7, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian visited these cities, where he inspected two evacuation centers and a flood-devastated bridge in Iligan with Mayor Frederick Siao.
In a statement, Secretary Gatchalian assured families displaced by TS Basyang that everyone will be provided with basic necessities as they recover from the impact of the tropical cyclone.
He told the media, “Ang instruction ng ating Pangulo, hindi lang food packs, kundi lahat ng kakailanganin ng mga biktima para makabangon muli, gagawin ng DSWD.”
The DSWD’s FO 10 has already distributed family food packs (FFPs) and ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes for evacuees and returning residents whose homes remain uninhabitable due to the thick mud left by the flood. Non-food items such as sleeping kits, hygiene kits, and family kits were also made available.
Beyond immediate food aid, the Social Welfare chief emphasized that financial assistance through the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program will follow once the local government units (LGUS) complete the profiling of the affected families.
As of press time, 5,617 FFPs and 4,069 RTEF boxes were already distributed to evacuees in Northern Mindanao, as relief operations continue in ‘Basyang’-affected areas.
Assistance has also been extended to other affected communities in Lanao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and parts of Eastern Visayas.
Secretary Gatchalian moreover convened with local officials to discuss recovery and rebuilding efforts, hinting at the visit of other government executives to areas affected by the tropical cyclone as part of a whole-of-government approach ordered by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
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