More than a week after heavy rains battered Bataan and Zambales, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman assured affected families that they will continue to receive relief assistance to meet their daily needs while they are on their way to normalcy.
As of October 2, 12 pm, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended P1.7M million worth of relief assistance to affected families in the said two provinces.
In Zambales, over P1.2 million worth of relief assistance were released to help some 40, 129 families or 190,664 people displaced by floods and heavy rains. The assistance included family packs, sleeping kits, water jugs and clothing that were distributed to the victims in the municipalities of Cabangan, San Antonio, San Marcelino, Castillejos, Botolan, Subic and the city of Olongapo.
In Olongapo City, the wife of Mayor Rollen Paulino received the relief assistance on behalf of the residents. Flood waters rose to as high as 16 ft. due to the ‘habagat,’ which occurred on September 22, 2013 affecting 17 barangays.
Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary Maricel Cuevas of Barangay Sta. Rita came to the DSWD Field Office (FO) III Provincial Action Team for assistance. Cuevas said that flood waters rose up to 10 ft. in their area. “With this disaster, we did not only lose our house, we also lost our hope,” she lamented. Her sentiment was echoed by Arline Cadiz, also from Barangay Sta. Rita, another beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilya.
Meanwhile, Aeta-families from Limuran, Cabalan in Olongapo City were personally assisted by DSWD FO III Regional Director Adelina S. Apostol when she visited the DSWD Provincial Action Team in the city. The Aetas are Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries.
Likewise, 34-year old Maricel David brought Jenny, her 8-month old daughter to the DSWD office. She said that her house collapsed because of strong winds. “We lost everything, our home and all our possessions,” she tearfully narrated. She added that almost everyone in the community lost his/her livelihood.
“We thank the DSWD for the family packs and sleeping kits,” David said.
Affected families lined up for their relief goods in the covered court of Barangay Magsaysay, Castillejos, while in San Antonio, residents of Barangay Antipolo congregated in the barangay grounds despite the downpour. Puroks 5 and 6 in the barangay were submerged in flood waters, according to resident Julie Villoso. She also expressed her gratitude for DSWD’s assistance in times of calamities.
In Subic, the relief goods for the municipality was received by Mayor J. Khonghun. Seventeen people in the municipality died of whom three were children- beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya.
To date, the number of affected families in Region 3 is 61,274 with 287,306 persons. The number of evacuation centers decreased from 92 to 6. Some 6,087 families with 24, 525 persons are still staying in the remaining evacuation centers. ### (DSWD-Social Marketing Service) October 2, 2013.
