SEARCH AND RESCUE. Members of the Misamis Occidental Provincial Police Office evacuate residents from several villages on Christmas Sunday (Dec. 25, 2022). Reports from Northern Mindanao showed some 9,300 families or more than 45,600 individuals are affected by floods in the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin and Bukidnon. (Courtesy of MisOcc PPO/PCADG-NorMin Facebook)
MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Sunday kicked off relief operations in areas in Visayas and Mindanao affected by flooding.
In a news release, Malacañang said the relief operations were ordered by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
DSWD field offices in Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao have started distributing family food packs to flood-hit residents of Eastern Samar, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin and Bukidnon.
Grace Subon, DSWD regional director in Eastern Visayas, said 32,458 individuals were affected by flooding in six towns in Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Oras, Arteche, Mercedes, Taft and Giporlos) over the holiday weekend.
She said they have been coordinating with the municipal governments for the distribution of 45,000 food packs and PHP10 million in standby funds.
Ramel Jamen, DSWD regional director in Northern Mindanao, said they have also started giving out food and non-food relief items to at least 9,342 families or 45,687 individuals in the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin and Bukidnon.
Of those affected, Jamen said 9,256 families or 45,242 individuals remained in evacuation centers as of 3 p.m. Sunday.
While only over 12,000 family food packs were available in their field office, he said they immediately requested augmentation from neighboring regional offices.
Jamen said their office has PHP7.3 million in standby funds for relief operations.
Apart from family food packs and non-food relief items such as modular tents, medical kits and hygiene kits, the DSWD is preparing cash under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program.
The weather bureau has not monitored any tropical cyclone or low pressure area but a shear line is causing moderate to heavy to at times intense rainfall in Eastern Visayas, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands; and moderate to heavy rains over Southern Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and the rest of Caraga and the Visayas. (PNA)
