Lorenzana: Humanitarian crisis in quake-hit areas
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Sunday appealed to residents affected by the series of earthquakes in Mindanao to be calm, assuring them there is a sufficient supply of relief goods and that it was just a matter of properly distributing them.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, who is officer-in-charge of the Executive Department while President Duterte is attending the ASEAN Summit in Thailand, has tasked Lorenzana to lead relief efforts and ensure
16,004,485 29,349 families (146,745 persons) in 149 barangays in the two regions.
Last Friday, troops from the Eastern Mindanao Command unloaded cargo sent by DSWD and Department of Health at the Davao Airport.
DSWD-Zamboanga Peninsula also provided hygiene kits, mosquito nets, blankets, towels, and cases of sardines.
DSWD-Western Visayas delivered malongs to DSWD-Zamboanga Peninsula and food packs to DSWDSOCCSKSARGEN on Saturday.
DSWD-Central Visayas also coordinated with the Coast Guard for the transport of relief supplies to the two regions on Saturday.
To date, 4,127 families (20,635 persons) are currently staying in 27 evacuation centers, while 1,370 families (6,850 persons) are staying with relatives or friends.
DSWD has recorded 20,913 totally and 6,397 partially damaged houses due to the earthquakes. struck Cotabato last Oct. 31.
The DSWD has established mobile logistic hubs in Kidapawan City for earthquake-affected families.
Two mobile storage units, one from the United Nations World Food Programme, were built in Amas, Kidapawan, to speed up the distribution of relief assistance.
Each logistic hub can store up to 1,600 cubic metric tons of goods.
Aside from the logistics hubs, DSWD-SOCCSKSARGEN is also set to have a community kitchen in Barangay Malasila in Makilala town.
DSWD-SOCCSKSARGEN was coordinating with the Philippine Air Force for the transport of relief goods to remote areas, especially in communities that are impassable due to landslides.
Cebu Pacific Airlines and Air Asia are also helping transporting DSWD relief supplies for free.
So far, DSWD has provided
worth of assistance to
“What has happened lately was that the people were rushing the relief vehicles and getting everything they can to the detriment of others,” he explained.
Some residents were reportedly afraid to go back to their communities, fearing aftershocks, especially those whose houses were destroyed by the quakes.
Jalad said tents and tarpaulins were distributed to residents.
There were residents living in the hinterlands of Makilala, Cotabato and Magsaysay, Davao del Sur who were evacuated because of the danger of landslides.
Jalad said those who were afraid to go back home chose to pitch tents and were given supplies that include bottles of water because the water system in Makilala town was damaged.
Meanwhile, the NDRRMC denied reports that mountaineers and residents were reportedly trapped on Mt. Apo when a magnitude-6.5 earthquake enough supplies for the affected residents.
“We are organizing the government response so that all affected residents will be given aid,” he said.
The relief goods and donations, Jalad said, are being transported by Philippine Air Force cargo planes.
“We still have enough resources,” he assured.
Lorenzana ordered the Philippine Army to set up checkpoints on roads leading to disaster areas “to ensure that there is order and only accredited and legitimate relief groups and individuals are allowed.”
“As of [Saturday] night, there is sufficient relief goods at evacuation centers according to Usec Jalad. It just needs proper management of the distribution system to ensure that everyone is served,” Lorenzana reiterated. public safety and security in the aftermath of the powerful quakes that rattled Mindanao.
“It is now a humanitarian crisis,” Lorenzana admitted.
“Many houses were destroyed. There are some who left their houses for fear of their safety because of the aftershocks. There were also houses buried by landslide. All evacuees are now in evacuation centers needing assistance,” Lorenzana said.
He said National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Ricardo Jalad was overseeing relief operations.
Reports of evacuees begging for food and water along the highway have reached the authorities.
Jalad said the provincial office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) has