MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL (PIA)—Department of National Defense (DND) OIC Usec. Jose Calingasan Faustino Jr. and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator Usec. Raymundo B. Ferrer, along with Misamis Occidental Governor Henry S. Oaminal, conducted a damage assessment and briefing on the flooding situation in the province.

During the briefing, Faustino told Misamis Occidental that the national government would help. "So we're coming here to ask our Governor what we can do right away to help, and we'll get other government agencies involved and meet with them to help," he said.

Faustino said they will convene with the other agencies to help the province in terms of infrastructure assistance from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), agriculture from the Department of Agriculture, cash for work (TUPAD), and Integrated Livelihood Program (Kabuhayan) from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and others.

As to the other needs of the evacuees, Governor Henry Oaminal provided food packs that they can take home if ever they want to go home and cash assistance for their basic needs at home. "We are really doing our best to provide the needs of the people with their satisfaction and to the utmost satisfaction," he said.

The local government units are backed up by the provincial government on providing food, goods, and other basic needs in the different evacuation centers, and medical needs in the evacuation are also properly addressed.

The MisOcc LGU will do a different assessment for agriculture and properties.

The affected families in the province include the towns of Oroquieta with 825 families or 6,000 individuals in the evacuation area; Aloran with 564 families or 1821 individuals; Panaon with 151 families or 541 individuals; Jimenez with 1532 families or 6447 individuals; Sincaban with 303 families or 1247 individuals; and Tudela with 759 families or 3,380 individuals.

Meanwhile, Clarin had 550 families or 2288 individuals, and Ozamiz had 45 families or 142 individuals. Lopez Jaena with 421 families or 1757 individuals, Plaridel with182 families or 728 individuals; and Baliangao with five families or 22 individuals.

Meanwhile, the cabinet secretary praised what the provincial government and the PDRRM Council for quikcly getting the people out of the area (SMRN/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)