As part of its continuing assistance to survivors of Typhoon Seniang, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already provided a total of 33,443 family food packs and 4,000 non-food items, as of January 8, through the local government units (LGUs) in the Visayas and in CARAGA.

In Central Visayas, DSWD has provided a total of 8,846 food packs and other food items such as water and biscuits.

Non-food items such as blankets, mats, and mosquito nets, among others, were also given to affected families in Cebu City, Tagbilaran City, and the towns of Alcantara, Barili, Dumanjug, Ronda, Bohol, Antequera, Cortes, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Maribojoc, Pres. C.P. Garcia, and Siquijor.

All evacuation centers in the region have been closed with the evacuees already back to their places of origin.

Aid for landslide victims

In Barangay Mercedes, Catbalogan City, Samar, where 21 persons died due to a landslide incident that occurred on December 30 following a heavy downpour, DSWD provided each bereaved family with P10,000 in cash assistance.

DSWD also gave P5,000 each to the eight individuals from the town who were injured due to “Seniang”.

Likewise, cash assistance was given to the injured and to the family of the lone fatality in Calubian town.

DSWD-Field Office VIII Assistant Regional Director Resty Macuto and Catbalogan City Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan recently visited the Samar Provincial Hospital to check on the injured.

Emerita Mabag, 46, one of those injured expressed her gratitude to the Department and to the LGU for the help extended to her family. Nine members of her family died as a van rammed into their house as a result of the landslide.

Mayor Tan said that she has discussed with DSWD and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) the evacuation of vulnerable families residing in the landslide prone area of Purok 5-A in Brgy. Mercedes.

Meanwhile, DSWD continues to coordinate with concerned LGUs and other national government agencies for the provision of other appropriate services to survivors of “Seniang” to ensure that they can already return to normalcy. ###