Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman said that as of December 5, 8 a.m., a total of P3.29 million worth of relief assistance was provided to families affected by typhoon “Pablo,” coming from the combined resources of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with P1,250,000.00, Local Government Units (LGUs) with P2,044,199.68 and NGOs/other GOs (P2,600.00).

Meanwhile, 359 evacuation centers remain open serving 35,406 families or 163,878 persons while 222 other family-evacuees composed of 4,169 persons who opted to stay with their friends and relatives are continuously being assessed and provided assistance.

Secretary Soliman assured that the DSWD has enough resources and prepositioned P40.25 million standby funds and P45.86 million worth of relief supplies in all DSWD-FOs along the typhoon path ready to augment the resources of local government units as the need arises.

DSWD Field Office XI is currently purchasing additional items to be transported to the affected provinces. These items include sleeping bags, first aid emergency medical kits, frying pans, cauldrons (kaldero), hard plastic plates and cups, spoons, forks, men’s and women’s underwears, towels, short pants, pails, flashlights, whistles, portable life vests and heavy duty knap sack bags.

Likewise, the DSWD FO- XI has deployed senior staff led by division chiefs to oversee disaster operations in the provinces of Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley and Davao Del Norte. Municipal links, social workers and SWAD Teams are now serving as debriefers of affected families in the three provinces.

Volunteers together with staff of DSWD-Field Offices in typhoon-hit regions are currently packing relief goods.

In Caraga, some evacuation centers in Hinatuan are now closed due to the return of the evacuees in their places of origin. Others extended their stay in the evacuation centers due to their damaged houses. Some 1,137 houses were damaged in the region.  ###