By Tara Yap
Iloilo City — Days after Typhoon Ursula hit, relief operations are underway for survivors in Panay Island.
Days after Typhoon Ursula, a team from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) delivers relief goods to affected residents in the mountain barangays of Pilar town, Capiz province. (Photo courtesy of Elisa Dulos Barquillo via Tara Yap / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and various local government units (LGUs) have released approximately P8.6-million worth of relief goods in Aklan, Capiz, and Iloilo provinces.
DSWD-6 Officer May Rago Castillo told Manila Bulletin the aid consisted of food, non-food items, and even cash assistance.
So far, the biggest release was made in two towns of northern Iloilo province. A total of P1.2 million of cash was released in the towns of Balasan and Carles. The aid is 222 displaced families as well as a P20,000-burial aid for those who died in the flash flood.
DSWD-6 Assistant Regional Director Delia Bagolcol led the turnover of aid assistance in Pontevedra town in Capiz province over the weekend that amounted to P1.4 million.
There was also an initial releasing of food packs in Tangalan town of Aklan province.
Senator Bong Go also visited Ursula-ravaged towns both in Capiz and Iloilo provinces Saturday. Go was joined by Capiz Governor Esteban Evan Contreras, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., DSWD executives. Go assured survivors that the Duterte administration is acting on post-typhoon programs, especially on livelihood so they can get back on their feet.
Various schools, private organizations, and non-government organizations (NGOs) have mounted relief operations that are not reached by the government agencies including far flung areas such as mountain barangays and island barangays.
Meanwhile, the Western Visayas Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council found that a total of 652,398 people were affected by Ursula in the region.