MANILA --The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Sunday said they temporarily transferred internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the Marawi siege in school buildings in Lanao del Norte due to the onslaught of tropical storm ‘Vinta’.
"Based on the latest report from the DSWD Field Office 10, 99 IDPs from Balono Evacuation Center were transferred to Baloi Central School due to the damage caused by the strong winds brought by ‘Vinta’ to the tents of the IDPs," said DSWD officer-in-charge Emmanuel A. Leyco.
In Momongan Learning Center, 35 IDPs were transferred to Pacalundo Elementary School due flooding, while families staying in tents at Abdulhamid Evacuation Center were transferred to the Abdulhamid Madrasah for safety.
Meanwhile, in Pantar, Lanao del Norte, IDPs staying in three damaged tents were immediately secured inside the multi-purpose hall within Pantar Tent City.
"The Department already extended assistance worth PHP4,989,110 while PHP647,467 were provided by concerned local government units (LGUs)," Leyco said.
He further said that Disaster Response Assistance and Management Units of the DSWD in the affected areas are continuously monitoring the situation on the ground with their local government counterparts.
He said non-food items like malongs, mats, and laminated sacks were also distributed to the IDPs.
As of the latest report from the DSWD Disaster Response Assistance and Management Bureau, there are 70,454 families or 320,180 persons affected in 569 barangays in Regions 4-B, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, ARMM, and Caraga of which 13,927 families or 59,851 persons are currently staying inside 213 evacuation centers in the said regions.
Meanwhile, he encouraged the public to volunteer to repack relief goods at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC).
We are now calling for public assistance to help in the repacking of relief goods for immediate replenishment of goods to be distributed to locals affected by tropical depression ‘Urduja’, tropical storm ‘Vinta, and the Marawi siege,” he added. (PNA)
