RDRRMC-6 wants Quinta-affected provinces under state of calamity

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  -- The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) in an emergency meeting here on Thursday passed a resolution urging the national disaster body to endorse to President Benigno S. Aquino III the declaration of the provinces of Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo under state of calamity.

Latest report received by the RDRRMC revealed 83,139 persons or 18,605 families were affected by the tropical storm Quinta with 13,445 persons still staying in evacuation centers, a PNA report said.

The highest affected persons were recorded in Iloilo with 47,112 individuals or 8,663 families with 4,620 families still left in various evacuation centers.

In Capiz, 35, 801 individuals or 9,866 families from 107 barangays are affected. Around 8,825 persons are currently in 12 evacuation centers.

In Negros Occidental, on the other hand, all the 226 persons evacuated have already returned home.

As of the latest count, the RDRRMC has monitored nine casualties but only six were officially reported and the rest were either through phone calls or verbal communication.

Meantime, RDRRMC chair Rosario Cabrera also said that their efforts have now shifted to the provision of relief assistance to local government units (LGUs) affected by Quinta.

During the RDRRMC meeting, the DSWD reported that it has already served 407 affected barangays in the region.

Of the 35,144 families equivalent to 179,410 persons affected around 9,753 families or 8,260 persons were staying inside evacuation centers while 6,612 families or 33,553 persons were staying outside of evacuation centers.

DSWD has so far served 30,275 families or 154,898 individuals, based on their report as of 2:00 p.m. Friday.

The highest provision was extended to 19,369 families or 114,104 persons in Iloilo; 10,060 families or 36,611 individuals in Capiz; while in Negros Occidental 57 families have been served equivalent to 238 persons and 789 families or 3,945 persons in Aklan.

Cabrera meanwhile, urged all RDRRMC members to submit their reports so they would know the requirements and support that should be extended to damaged areas. She also echoed the call of the DSWD for more volunteers to do their repacking of relief to be provided to requesting LGUs.

Colonel Frederick Cutler, group commander of the Tactical Operations Group 6 of the Philippine Air Force, also stated that they have four helicopters dedicated to relief operations and another two for rescue operations.

The focus of relief operation are Dao and Cuartero but they are also flying to Panay, Pontevedra and Panit-an where water level has started to rise, according to DILG-6 regional director Evelyn Trompeta.  (FREEMAN)