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ILOILO CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported on Thursday that relief goods provided to families affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) in Western Visayas reached PHP2.34 million.
The assistance consisted of PHP1.16 million worth of goods from the DSWD and the rest came from local government units as of noon today, mostly in family food packs, and the majority were for Iloilo, Capiz, and Negros Occidental provinces.
‘We recognize the fast action of our staff, as well as those from the LGUs. We see the prepositioning of food packs to be very helpful because it makes the withdrawal of goods faster and easier. Goods are strategically located already in different sites in the region,’ officer-in-charge Regional Director Arwin Razo said in a statement.
The office still has PHP147.2 million worth of standby funds and stockpiles to respond to the situation.
Meanwhile, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council situation report rel
eased at 12:01 a.m. Thursday showed that the weather disturbance has affected 4,602 families or 20,403 individuals from 83 barangays in Western Visayas.
Of the affected families, 283 are being sheltered in 25 evacuation centers, while 137 others are outside evacuation centers.
The report also said 45 houses were damaged, six were destroyed, and 39 were partially damaged.
Further, 371 passengers are stranded in various ports in the region, together with 221 rolling cargoes, 11 vessels, and four motor bancas due to the cancelation of sea trips.
Also, the Department of Education Western Visayas reported that as of 9 a.m. Thursday, 4,000 public schools with 1.7 million learners shifted to alternative delivery mode due to the cancelation of classes by LGUs.
Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Antique including Caluya Islands, are still under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 as of the 2 p.m. advisory of the weather bureau.
Source: Philippines News agency
