Soliman denies relief goods shortage in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Soliman on Thursday refuted reports that the thousands of evacuees displaced in the armed conflict between government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front-Nur Misuari faction were running out of relief goods supplies.

Soliman said that assistance to man-made conflict and families affected by the flashfloods are sufficient.

“Even if there are additional estimated 9,000 individuals affected by recent flooding in Zamboanga, we still have adequate relief assistance to be distributed to all of them,” Soliman said.

The DSWD chief reported that as of Thursday a total of P969,500 worth of food packs were provided to 3,878 families who were affected by flooding in 13 barangays in this city.

Soliman said the DSWD was able to allocate P600,000 worth of food packs to 2,400 families affected by flooding in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte. 

Siocon Mayor Julius Lobrigas said some of the evacuees have already returned to their homes as the flood waters subsided. 

He said technical personnel of the Department of Agriculture (DA) have conducted assessment on the vast damage of the flash flood to the agricultural crops.

The relief assistance provided by the DSWD for the families affected by the armed conflict in this city  have already reached a total amount of P138.9 million as of Thursday.

Joel Espejo, DSWD social marketing service director, said of the amount, the DSWD extended P133,449,401 while the city local government provided P1,148,100 and non-government organizations and other groups poured in P4,343,462.

The DSWD aid include: P129.75 million for food assistance such as meals, family food packs, bottled water, rice, and canned goods; P2.8 milion for non-food items like blankets, mats, mosquito nets, hygiene kits, and tarpaulin; P434,000 for financial assistance for the rescued and bereaved families: and P464,300 for cash-for-work operations of community kitchen, hygiene and sanitation and meal distribution in evacuation centers.  

Soliman even stressed the relief augmentation also came from other DSWD regional field offices from regions X, XI, XII and CARAGA  and even from the DSWD National Resource Operations Center. 

Soliman said P181.5 million has been earmarked for the essential relief needs of the conflict-affected families.

The DSWD chief assured that even far flung evacuation centers were 9,111 evacuees fled were also regularly provided with relief goods and food packs by the department and other non-government organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, International Organization for Migration, Habitat for Humanity, Rotary Club International, JCI International, Save the Children, World Vision, Western Mindanao State University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Network, Community and Family Services International, Universidad de Zamboanga, and the United States Agency for International Development, among others.

Day Care worker and Barangay Coordinator for the evacuees Hadzar Alaja at Barangay Taluksangay, 19 kilometers east of this city said sufficient relief food and non-food items provided by the DSWD and other non-government organizations. 

Alaja said cash for work were also provided for the affected evacuees through cleaning of the evacuation centers to ensure that they are safe from illnesses and other forms communicable diseases.

At least 22 bunkhouses will be built in a 1.4 hectares of land offered by the family of Taluksangay Barangay Captain and Association of Barangay Council President, Councilor Abdurahman Nuño.

The temporary shelter at Barangay Taluksangay, founded by the Nuños in the 17th century,  can accommodate 220 family evacuees.

“This is part of the rehabilitation plan of Zamboanga where DSWD, the local government of Zamboanga, and Habitat for Humanity agreed to form a partnership particularly in building temporary and permanent shelters for the victims whose houses were razed in the conflict-affected areas,” Soliman said. 

Soliman said better homes would be built so that the conflict-affected families will no longer be called “evacuees” since their new houses will be resilient to storms and other natural calamities.