The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region III said that some 63 families or 270 individuals who come from danger zones in Subic and Olongapo City continue to stay in evacuation centers where their safety is ensured while waiting for their communities to be declared safe or a relocation order is made.

DSWD-Region III Director Adelina Apostol said that  the regional office  continues to strengthen partnership and coordination with the local government of Olongapo City and Subic for appropriate services to these families.

Nelly Pagar,  Subic  Social Welfare and Development Officer, said that the families cannot return to their respective places of origin because these have been declared as danger zones where landslides would likely to occur again.

Of the total evacuees, 22 families are staying at the New Cabalan Barangay Hall. The families come from Mt. Hibok-Hibok, Upper Libas Purok Uno, New Cabalan, Olongapo City.

New Cabalan Barangay Captain Raphael Lim said that  engineers from the Provincial Disaster  Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC)  are currently in Mt. Hibok-Hibok to  demolish a wall that is posing danger to the community.

Barangay Captain Lim said that the evacuees are provided with daily food supply by the DSWD. Some evacuees, he said, leave the evacuation center in the morning to work and return at nighttime.   To keep the women busy, Lim encourages them to help in cleaning the surroundings of the barangay hall and assist in the preparation of their food.

Lim added that he has allotted his five percent calamity  fund to assist the evacuees. “I will only allow the residents to return to their homes once the engineers declare the area to be safe,” he said.

On the other hand, the 22 families  staying at Wawandue Sports Complex in Subic are also assisted by the local government of Subic.   Pagar said that these families who come from Cabangaan, Cawag are due for relocation at the Asina Proper in Subic. “Private and church-based organizations also continue to assist the evacuees through provision of food,” Pagar continued.

Meanwhile, Pagar and DSWD-Region III social workers went around barangays in Subic to validate the number of houses which were damaged by Habagat . As of October 8, they were able to validate 50 damaged houses in Barangay Manggahan alone. The families with damaged houses will be recommended to receive P10,000 Emergency Shelter Assistance to be provided by the DSWD. ###