Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended PHP550,000 in initial aid to families affected by adverse weather caused by a shear line that continues to prevail over the Mimaropa Region, an agency official said on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DSWD has already sent PHP550,129 worth of family food packs (FFPs) to augment the resources of local government units (LGUs) across Mimaropa, particularly in areas where the heavy rainfalls brought heavy flooding, flashfloods, and landslides, as stated by Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) in a report.
Dumlao indicated that the agency immediately extended 692 FFPs to the region, with 472 boxes going to Palawan, particularly in the capital city of Puerto Princesa, which experienced 352 millimeters of rain in 24 hours from February 9 to 10.
As reported by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the rainfall was 12 times the normal for February-supposed to be the driest month in the city-and topped the heaviest 24-hour rainfall recorded in Palawan's history.
'Upon learning of the shear line, Secretary Rex Gatchalian directed the DRMG to act fast and coordinate with concerned LGUs so we can immediately extend the much-needed aid to our affected kababayans (countrymen),' Dumlao added.
The Field Office (FO) 8 - Eastern Visayas is also actively coordinating with LGUs and other concerned agencies for significant updates and requests for relief augmentation intended for shear line-hit families in the region.
As of press time, a total of 34,692 families in 197 barangays in Mimaropa and Eastern Visayas have been affected by the shear line, which continues to dump heavy rains over Southern Luzon and some parts of the Visayas. Of those affected, 2,223 families or 8,804 individuals temporarily take shelter in 59 evacuation centers.
Dumlao noted that the DSWD maintains 208,544 FFPs available at its FOs in Mimaropa and Eastern Visayas which can be immediately tapped for local relief operations. Mimaropa is composed of Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan provinces, while the Eastern Visayas region includes Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Tacloban City, Northern Samar, Samar, and Northern Leyte.
