Estancia, Northern Iloilo –The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Field Office VI has provided food packs, assorted canned goods and used clothing to some 1,200 families or 3,600 persons from the coastal barangays of this town who evacuated because of the oil spill.

In can be recalled that at the height of Typhoon Yolanda, Power Barge 103, operated by the state-owned National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR), ran aground and spilled more than 200,000 liters of bunker fuel oil on the shoreline.

Of the total number of affected families, 544 families or 2,347 persons from Barangay Botongan are still in the evacuation center at Northern Iloilo Polytechnic College-West Campus, as of November 28. They continue to be assisted by DSWD and the local government unit.

The provincial government of Iloilo ordered the forced evacuation of the residents and nearby barangays on November 22 after health officials declared that the toxic fumes of the bunker fuel can cause serious health hazard.

DSWD-FO VI Regional Director Evelyn Macapobre said that Estancia, one of the typhoon-ravaged towns in Western Visayas, has to date received P728,217  worth of  relief goods. These came from the donations to the Field Office.# # #