The Department of Energy (DoE) on Monday said it was able to secure 15 bancas from the Rotary Club of Makati Central through Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi’s concurrent capacity as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) of Region IV-B (MIMAROPA).

The aid was part of the department’s effort to rehabilitate Paluan, Occidental Mindoro after it was hit by a storm surge last week.

“We have been closely coordinating with local government officials, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Paluan and the Philippine National Police (PNP) for real-time updates, and to determine the immediate needs of our fellow Filipinos,” Cusi was quoted as saying.

“We will be sending the bancas to Occidental Mindoro, and we are hoping that additional assistance will follow,” he added.

DoE Head of Public Affairs Jive Bullock said the secretary met with the Rotary Club Makati Central over the weekend wherein during the meeting, he informed them of what happened in Palaun and solicited for assistance that the Club could extend.

“Secretary Cusi is hoping that more help would come, but the 15 bancas is a welcome start since the areas affected are primarily coastal ones wherein a lot of bancas which sustained either partial or full damage were situated,” Bullock told the Daily Tribune.

Based on the reports of the PNP-Occidental Mindoro, the storm surge caused by tropical storm “Quiel” hit the coastal areas of Barangays 1, Marikit, Tubili, and all of Paluan at about 7:00 p.m. of 7 November.

According to Paluan’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, about 32 houses made of light materials and 58 small motorized bancas were partially damaged, while three small motorized bancas were submerged.

Meanwhile, a total of 620 individuals were evacuated including includes 14 families composed of 52 individuals in Barangay 1; 35 families composed of 158 individuals in Barangay Tubili; and 4 families composed of 22 individuals in Barangay Harrison.

There were no recorded casualties after the storm.