National government agencies have assured continuous assistance to the island town of Limasawa in Southern Leyte after Typhoon Odette battered several communities.
Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) chairman Lord Byron Torrecarion said Monday some of their key members visited the island on January 7 to check the ongoing delivery of assistance to affected families.
“We will closely monitor the situation in Limasawa and other affected areas throughout the region. We have composite teams in the area trained to look (into) what is needed and will tell us what to do next, what to plan, and what program or project that we should fund in order to build back better,” Torrecarion said in an interview.
During their visit, RDRRMC members turned over carpentry tools, fiberglass fishing boats, family food packs, hygiene kits, and temporary shelter assistance to residents.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 8 (Eastern Visayas) Director Grace Subong announced that they have provided more than PHP15 million food and non-food assistance to the island.
“All these aids will not reach Limasawa without the efforts and support of government agencies. We will not stop and continue to deliver needed services in Limasawa,” Subong said during the visit.
Department of Agriculture (DA) 8 Director Angel Enriquez pledged all available livelihood programs of their office to the island town.
“I will make a report to the secretary to prioritize Limasawa as we want to build back agriculture better,” she added.
A total of 1,433 houses in six villages of Limasawa were destroyed by the typhoon.
Some of those who lost their house continue to stay in evacuation centers while others built temporary shelters using tarpaulins and other materials available on the island.
Torrecarion said the post-disaster needs assessment is ongoing in the entire Southern Leyte and they are targeting to finalize it by January 30.
Source: Philippines News Agency
