MANILA — Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, together with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mike Sueno, flew to Kalinga Wednesday to conduct post-‘Lawin’ assessment and needs analysis in the area.
Taguiwalo said that inclement weather and lack of communication hampered the immediate conduct of needs assessment in the province.
Kalinga was also isolated at the height of Typhoon Lawin.
With the restoration of communication lines and electricity and with good weather already prevailing, relief operations and early recovery efforts have been intensified in the province.
“We have received several requests for assistance from Kalinga.
We assure you that DSWD, local government units (LGUs), and concerned agencies are now looking into ways to deliver relief supplies. In fact we have met with the local executives to thresh out these concerns,” Taguiwalo said.
As of press time, Taguiwalo is in Barangay Cabaruan, Tabuk, Kalinga to lead the distribution of family food packs and emergency shelter assistance to families affected by ‘Lawin’.
The DSWD Chief urged the townsfolks to report to the DSWD-Field Office CAR if they know of families still needing assistance.
They may call 074-442-3946 and 074-446-5961; 0906-094-1064, 0949-141-7232.
Some 37,109 families or 192,197 persons have been affected by ‘Lawin’ in Kalinga. More than a thousand houses have been totally damaged while over 6,000 have been partially damaged.
To date, the DSWD has extended Php 1,187,662 worth of relief assistance to the province. PNA-northboundasia.com