DAVAO CITY (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI has extended around P23 million worth of food and non-food aid to the families affected by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in the Davao region from December 26, 2024, to January 2, 2025.
Rachel Guerrero, head of DSWD XI regional resource operation section, said that numerous barangays in the municipalities of Maco in Davao de Oro, and Malita, Sta. Maria, and Don Marcelino in Davao Occidental were affected by the weather disturbance, which caused massive flooding and landslides.
“Per our record, we have already provided a total of P23,997,894, both family food packs and non-food items, to our communities in the municipalities in Maco and Davao Occidental, particularly Malita, Sta. Maria, and Don Marcelino,” Guerrero disclosed during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao on Monday, January 6, 2025.
She said, “We have provided based on the request of our LGUs and on the number of affected [families] that were affected during the flooding incidents of the said municipalities.”
As of January 3, a total of 8,464 families in nine barangays in Maco, Davao de Oro were affected while 9,058 families in 24 barangays in Malita; 13,089 families in 13 barangays in Don Marcelino; 4,397 families in five barangays in Sta. Maria, and 105 families in six barangays in Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental.
The figures were based on the agency’s Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) report.
Joel Cuensegra, focal of DSWD XI’s food and non-food item support staff logistic unit, said that each family was given family food packs, containing rice, canned goods, and coffee good for two to three days of consumption for families of three to five members.
The non-food provisions include kitted items such as kitchen kits, hygiene kits, and sleeping kits, among others.
Guerrero added that for families temporarily staying in evacuation centers like gyms, they provided modular tents, while those staying outside the evacuation centers were provided family tents.
“Per family naay modular tents nga readily available nga ma-augment. We believe na atoang mga LGU do have the same nga mga preparedness nga mga kagamitan in times na adunay disaster ready usab sila,” she explained.
(There are modular tents readily available for each family to augment. We believe that our LGUs do have the same preparedness equipment in times of disaster and are also ready.)
In Davao Occidental, around 190 families are still staying in evacuation centers, while 382 families are staying outside the evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, as the rainy season is still in effect, which is forecasted to last until March this year, Cuensegra said that DSWD XI has readied and repositioned its relief items in anticipation of possible similar calamities brought about by the changing weather conditions.
Cuensegra disclosed that the DSWD XI currently has around 121,000 food packs, amounting to P91,215,000, and non-food items, amounting to around P113,000,000.00.
“Sa gihapon ang buhata sa DSWD willing ug andam gyud nga mo-assist sa atoang mga community ilabi na sa atong affected mga pamilya o individual panahon sa kalamidad,” Guerrero emphasized.
(As always, DSWD is willing and ready to assist our communities, especially our affected families or individuals, in times of calamities.)
Cuensegra called on the public to be vigilant and adhere to the warnings of the authorities, especially when calamities like flooding occur, while the rainy season is still experienced across the country.
“Sa atong katawhan karon sa Davao region na magbinantayon, especially this rainy season, [which started] the last quarter last year and this year this year until march pa siguro na magbinantayon ug mag-igmat lang kanunay,” he said.
(To our people in the Davao region, please be careful, especially during this rainy season, which started last quarter last year and will continue until March this year. Please be careful and always be vigilant.)
Also, Guerrero called on the local government units (LGUs) to prepare and coordinate with the proper national government agencies for appropriate response in terms of disaster.
“Let us be prepared for we will be experiencing ulan pa gihapon taas taas pa ang panahon nga makasinati kita og pag-ulan and we hope that magtinabangay ang atong LGU uban sa atoang national agencies to respond to the needs of our communities,” she said.
(Let us be prepared for we will still be experiencing rain, and we hope that our LGUs will work together with our national agencies to respond to the needs of our communities.) (clc/ASO/PIA XI)
