North Cot extends more aid to landslide victims in Arakan

ARAKAN, North Cotabato – A team from the provincial government recently conducted a relief distribution to 38 families in Sitio Tinago, Barangay Napalico of this municipality who were affected by a landslide last month.

The relief mission which is the second as the provincial government initiated the first relief distribution weeks after the incident, was headed by a composite team which includes the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Council (PDRRMOC), Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), Office of the Provincial Agri- culturist (OPAg), Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPVet) and the Office of the Vice Governor.

Cynthia Ortega, head of the PDRRMOC, said that the relief assistance given to the families will help augment their daily needs.

“The relief assistance given to each family includes a sack of rice and school supplies for the children.

“Meanwhile, of families affected eight were given P3,000 each as cash assistance intended for materials to build new homes after their houses were totally destroyed by the calamity which took place on June 14, 2014,” Ortega noted.

After the distribution, a meeting was held to tackle the issues and the requests of the affected families.

Engr. Eliseo Mangliwan, provincial agriculturist, stated that most of the affected families rely on farming for livelihood. Their request for rice, corn and vegetable seedlings will be downloaded from the Municipal Agriculturist Office and their village chairman will facilitate the distribution.

Also, one of the main concerns is the need to relocate the eight families so they can build houses and start anew. In this regard, Jessie Enid, focal person of the Cotabato Provincial Hospital told village chairman Roweno T. Bansuran to follow up the passing of the barangay resolution for the relocation of the families.