DSWD provides aid for typhoon victims in Bicol

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol has provided over P100 million in aid to families affected by Tropical Storm "Enteng," which struck on September 1, 2024.

Norman Laurio, DSWD Bicol regional director, reported that, according to the latest data from the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication (DROMIC), the agency has distributed P106,942,808.81 in aid to families across the Bicol Region since response efforts began on September 1.

At least 302,887 families across the six provinces of Bicol were assisted by the department. This includes aid for stranded passengers at various ports throughout the region, with P177,000 worth of assistance provided to 3,936 stranded families in collaboration with local government units.

Laurio further detailed that a total of 151,457 family food packs (FFPs), valued at P106,031,921.81, were distributed to the affected families. Financial aid was also extended to families who lost loved ones through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte. Additionally, 22 families in Mercedes, Camarines Norte, whose boats were damaged by the storm, received financial assistance.

“We are working closely with local government units, especially in isolated communities such as the Calaguas Islands in Camarines Norte, where over 2,500 families have received relief aid. The DSWD Bicol continues its relief efforts to ensure every affected family receives the necessary assistance,” Laurio said.

In Donsol, Sorsogon, more than 500 FFPs were distributed to affected families. Currently, 100,000 additional family food packs are being delivered to regional warehouses and prepositioning sites, with support from the DSWD Central Office’s National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center.

These stockpiles are part of the agency’s preparedness efforts for potential disasters during the ongoing typhoon season. As of now, DSWD Bicol has more than P210 million in standby funds and relief supplies ready for deployment.

Laurio emphasized that the DSWD, under Secretary Rex Gatchalian, is in constant coordination with local governments to ensure a swift and efficient response to those in need. “Under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the DSWD is committed to leading disaster response operations, prioritizing the safety and welfare of affected communities, and providing immediate relief to those in distress,” Laurio said.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol reported that a total of 286,145 families, or 1,164,155 individuals, were affected by the storm.

Tragically, four individuals lost their lives during the height of Typhoon Enteng: two in Naga City, Camarines Sur, and one each in the municipalities of Jose Panganiban and Labo, Camarines Norte. The casualties include a 57-year-old male from Naga City, who was accidentally electrocuted on September 1, 2024, while fixing his shop; an 8-month-old baby girl who drowned in her home in Naga City on September 2; a 48-year-old male from Jose Panganiban, whose body was found in Vinzons on September 3 after being reported missing; and a 53-year-old male from Labo, who drowned while attempting to cross a river channel in Barangay Malaya on September 1.

In addition to the fatalities, at least 18 fishermen from Jose Panganiban, Mercedes, and Vinzons in Camarines Norte were reported missing after venturing out to sea before the storm intensified into a tropical cyclone. The missing fishermen from Jose Panganiban are Efren Engay, Ruben Balaca, Romeo Estabaya, Richard Buhatin, Benjamin Balaca, Jonald Dellosa, Victor Asurto, Sonny Boy Bermejo, Zaldy Bermejo, John Paolo Peñaredondo, Norbert Peñaredondo, Dominador Domdom, and Jesus Jerusalem. From Mercedes, the missing fishermen are Pepito Ramos, John Paolo Ramos, Jay-R Ramos, and Jovel Montuyo, while Jobert Austria is missing from Vinzons.

The OCD Bicol also reported that 5,718 houses were damaged across the provinces of Masbate, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte, with 63 houses totally destroyed and 5,655 partially damaged due to floods, rain-induced landslides, and fallen trees.