DSWD assures needed aid

The Department of Social Welfare and Development remains in close contact with the victims of widespread flooding caused by the shear line and northeast monsoon in some parts of the country.

According to information released by the Social Marketing Service of the DSWD, the agency continues to provide the necessary assistance to families and individuals affected by the flooding in Eastern Visayas or Region VIII, Zamboanga Peninsula or Region IX and Caraga Region.

In an emergency meeting on Wednesday, all DSWD field offices shared updates on their disaster response operations, including the provision of family food packs and non-food items, and even the status of prepositioning relief goods among other different localities.

More than P3.2 million worth of humanitarian assistance was provided by the DSWD to Regions VIII, IX and Caraga.

Also, DSWD offices in the three regions reported that more than 34,751 families or 133,443 people are affected by the weather disturbance and of the total, 12,154 families or 51,386 people are currently in temporary shelter in 142 evacuation centers built by local government units in the affected areas.

A total of 133 houses in the three regions were also damaged.

Field Office V Regional Director Norman Laurio said that more than 17,100 families or 69,042 individuals are affected by the flooding incident in the Bicol Region as he ensured that disaster teams are properly deployed in the affected localities to assist local government units in conducting relief operations for their affected constituents.