Nearly 750,000 people displaced due to Kristine, Leon

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 750,000 people remain displaced due to the combined effects of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine and Super Typhoon Leon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday.

In a situational report, the NDRRMC said a total of 227,133 people or 56,396 families sought shelter in 1,467 evacuation centers, while 521,858 people or 108,941 families stayed outside evacuation centers.

The tropical cyclones affected a total of 2,200,731 families or 8,630,663 people.

The death toll remained at 146, with 126 still for validation and 20 people still missing as of yesterday.

Of the 130 reported injured, 120 are being validated.

Damage to agriculture was estimated at P4,526,481,853.51 while a total of 106,715 farmers and fisherfolk were affected.

The NDRRMC said 105 irrigation facilities were also damaged with an estimated amount of P1,031,418,000.

Damage to infrastructure reached P7,212,262,651.45 with 946 structures affected.

Workers get cash aid

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has distributed an initial amount of P30.8 million cash-for-work wages for typhoon-affected workers in Bicol.

DOLE-Bicol regional director Imelda Gatinao led the initial payouts to 7,249 beneficiaries of assistance under the government’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay Para sa Ating Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program in the Bicol Region.

The beneficiaries came from different municipalities in Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon and Catanduanes.

Each beneficiary received a daily salary of P395 doing various community development projects, including cleanup drives, community-based farming initiatives, planting of disaster-resilient crops and relief goods repacking.

Gatinao said the government would continue to extend necessary assistance to help workers and their families recover from the impact of any disaster or calamity.

The TUPAD Program provides temporary wage employment to workers for 10 to 30 days of community work, particularly in times of disaster and calamities, enabling them to contribute to improving and rehabilitating their respective communities.

Relief goods to Bicol

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday sent three ships to deliver relief goods to flood victims in the Bicol region affected by Kristine.

The PCG’s BRP Cabra departed from Katawhan Plaza, Cebu City, while the BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua departed from Pier 2, Quezon Boulevard, Cebu City, going to Pasacao Port, Camarines Sur.

The three ships carried 9,000 relief boxes from the Department of Social Welfare and Development to families in Bicol.

Since Kristine flooded and caused massive landslides in several parts of the Bicol region, the PCG actively participated in search and rescue operations, and later shifted its operations to the delivery of food and other relief supplies to affected families.