By Brian Campued
In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., concerned government agencies continue to deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts as the number of affected families rose to over 80,000 following the magnitude 7.8 offshore earthquake in Mindanao earlier this week.
In a video report Friday, Office of Civil Defense Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Administrator for Administration Asec. Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said that 86,135 affected families or about 392,806 individuals were recorded from 352 barangays in Regions 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), 11 (Davao), 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Of this number, 2,409 families or around 10,783 individuals are still being assisted inside 31 evacuation centers, while 7,480 families or around 30,265 persons are being served outside.
“Sila pong lahat ay binibigyang tulong ng mga LGUs (local government units) and, of course, supported by our different national government agencies tulad ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development),” Alejandro said.
In terms of casualties, a total of 46 dead, 688 injured, and 38 missing persons were reported, based on the situation report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as of 8:00 a.m. on June 12.
Most of the missing individuals reported, according to Alejandro, were from Davao Region and SOCCSKSARGEN, particularly in Glan, Sarangani which experienced widespread devastation following the earthquake.
However, the OCD official also clarified that the casualty figures remain under validation.
Houses damaged were registered at 19,095, with 15,610 classified as “partially damaged,” while 3,845 were “totally damaged.”
Major airports and seaports likewise remain non-operational except for military and humanitarian assistance efforts.
While major road networks going in and out of Glan, Sarangani have already been cleared by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DWPH), only light vehicles are allowed to use the roads.
“Medyo may challenge pa rin para magdala tayo ng mga additional na tulong sa area. But again, we are using all available sea and air assets para makaabot tayo sa Glan and even yung Jose Abad Santos na municipality sa Davao Occidental,” Asec. Alejandro noted.
Asec. Alejandro also assured that the whole-of-government approach will continue until affected communities recover from the earthquake.
“Tuloy-tuloy po yan, ayon na rin yan sa utos ng ating Pangulo na dapat all hands at lahat ng ahensiya ay dapat tulong-tulong para maibigay lahat ng assistance sa mga apektadong communities,” he said.
As of 9:00 a.m. on June 12, a total of 3,860 aftershocks, ranging from magnitude 1.2 to 6.4, were recorded following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), 966 of the aftershocks have been located, while 64 were felt by residents in affected areas.
-jpv
