DSWD to augment resources for typhoon 'Gener' victims

The Department of Social Welfare and Development said today that local government units affected by typhoon 'Gener' are still capable to respond to the needs for relief assistance of their constituents.

DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman said that LGUs are the first to respond to victims' needs during disasters with DSWD providing augmentation support.

As of July 31, 6 am, the DSWD has provided Php 165,902.00 worth of assistance to the victims of typhoon 'Gener' in Regions NCR, II III, IV-A, IV-B and VI. Concerned LGUs, on the other hand, have released Php 760,196 while non-government organizations provided Php 106,800 bringing the total assistance to Php 1.032 million.

Based on data gathered by DSWD's Disaster Response Operations and Monitoring Center from the regions affected by 'Gener,' some 42, 055 families composed of 205,703 persons were affected. Majority of the families came from Region IV-A with 26, 483 families.

To date, 2,030 families comprising 9,245 persons are staying in 58 evacuation centers located in Metro Manila (17), Cavite (13), Batangas (2), Rizal (9), Laguna (7); Occidental Mindoro (2), Negros Occidental (7), and Bulacan (1).

Victims outside evacuation centers are also being provided with relief supplies.

In NCR, Secretary Soliman assured the 145 families displaced by typhoon 'Gener' in Baseco Compound that they will be relocated to Aroma, a property owned by the National Housing Authority (NHA).

"We are working out the transfer of these families to a safe place where huge waves brought about by typhoons will no longer destroy their houses and endanger their lives, " Secretary Soliman emphasized during the distribution of relief goods for the 145 displaced families at Barangay 105, Baseco Compound.

Meanwhile, some 722 houses were damaged by flood waters due to typhoon 'Gener.' Of these, 101 units were totally damaged while 621 were partially damaged.

The Social Welfare and Development and Quick Response teams of all DSWD Regional Offices in the affected regions are on 24-hour duty and continue to coordinate with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Monitoring Councils and Municipal Risk Reduction Monitoring Councils. - DSWD — ARA