President Marcos has released P265 million to the areas affected by the recent floods in Mindanao caused by the flooding and landslides triggered by the shear line and trough or extension of a low-pressure area (LPA) in the Davao Region.

In a situation briefing led by Marcos, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the President instructed them to mobilize food and cash immediately to the affected areas.

"Our President has authorized the release from his Presidential Social Fund a total amount of P265 million, on top of the emergency cash assistance that he has also authorized," he said.

The provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Agusan del Sur, and Davao de Oro will get P30 million each, while the provinces of Surigao del Sur and Maguindanao del Sur will get P25 million each.

Davao City, Butuan City, and the province of Davao Occidental shall receive P20 million each, while the province of Agusan del Norte is allotted P15 million.

The provinces of Cotabato and Bukidnon are bound to get P10 million each.

According to Marcos, he decided to release the funds as the people affected by the incident have needs beyond food.

"I think that we are doing all right in the food— the provision of food packs, etc. But as the Secretary was explaining, it gets to the point na hindi lang pagkain ang kailangan ng tao (the people need more than food)," he said.

"They need to buy other things para sa kanilang household. That's why the ECTs (emergency cash transfers) have become very important and that's why I released P265 million to make sure that the pace of the response is immediate at maramdaman kaagad ng tao, meron kaagad silang tulong (and so the people would feel that there is an immediate assistance)," he added.

Several areas in the Davao Region have been submerged in flood following the continuous rains that started on Jan. 28. On Tuesday, Feb. 6, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that the number of people who died due to the flooding rose to 18.

It added that 1,122,975 individuals or 324,040 families were affected by the bad weather in Northern Mindanao (Region X), Davao Region, Soccsksargen (Region XII), Caraga (Region XIII), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Of this, 795,057 individuals or 200,847 families were displaced due to the flooding and landslides.