7,279 storm evacuees from Leyte now here

CEBU, Philippines - As of yesterday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 said a total of 7,279 evacuees from the provinces of Leyte and Samar have arrived in Cebu via sea and air after their homes were destroyed by typhoon Yolanda.

DSWD-7 Protective Services Unit head Shalaine Marie Lucero said that most of the evacuees took shelter with their relatives. Those who had no relatives in Cebu stayed in evacuation centers in Lapu-Lapu City and Cebu City.

In Cebu City there were six evacuation centers; these are in the Tinago gym, the Guadalupe gym, the Capitol Parish Sports Complex, the Ramos gym, the San Roque gym and the San Nicolas gym.

Lucero said that the evacuation center in the Gun-ob gym in Lapu-Lapu City was ordered closed and the evacuees were transferred to the Babag gym after classes resumed.

Aside from the Babag gym, the Looc gym and the Suba Basbas gym were also being used for the evacuees. Lucero said they need more evacuation sites to house more evacuees expected.

In the different evacuation centers, Lucero said there are social workers assigned to ascertain their needs and document the evacuees.

They were asked to fill up Disaster Family Assistance Access Card form. Those whose houses were damaged by the typhoon will received P5,000 as emergency shelter assistance while those who totally lost their homes will get P70,000.

There were also 161 patients from Region 8 brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. Of that number 123 were admitted, 35 have already been discharged and three died.

The DSWD said that they can provide food assistance to the victims of typhoon up to 31 days. They have six packing centers in Cebu that have repacked 331,798 food packs and distributed 237,094 of them. She admitted that majority of the food packs went to Tacloban City.

Social problems

To prevent trafficking, Assistant Regional Director for Operations Nemia Antipala said evacuees who opted not to stay in evacuation centers were asked for their address for monitoring.

Pump boat

For lack of transportation some evacuees from Tacloban City and neighboring towns of Leyte had to go to Cebu via unlicensed pump boat.

The FREEMAN learned yesterday morning that a pump boat from Isabel, Leyte, docked unnoticed by authorities in Barangay Taytay, Danao City.

One of the passengers, a retired army colonel said they were victims of typhoon Yolanda.

"Gusto na gyud namo nga makabiya sa Tacloban kay among tan-awon gawas nga lisud dili kami makaseguro sa among seguridad," he said, requesting anonymity.

He said they initially planned to get here via passenger vessel but they faced a waiting time of three to four days, forcing them to risk their lives with the pump boat. — (FREEMAN)