DAVAO CITY – Almost 5,000 families here affected by flooding caused by the trough of a low-pressure area received relief assistance from Davao City Rep. Paolo "Pulong" Duterte on Thursday, February 8.

DAVAO City Rep. Paolo Duterte's office distributes aid to flood victims in Davao City. (Office of Rep. Duterte)

Duterte's team led by his son, Rodrigo II, through the Pulong Pulong ni Pulong (PPP) program, distributed food packs containing five kilos of rice, canned goods, one water container, and other essentials to flood victims in Barangays 19-B, 2-A, 1-A, 10-A, and 9-A.

The lawmaker will also assist Barangays 8-A, 5-A, Matina Crossing (Gravahan), and Maa. Around 17,322 families from these barangays are expected to receive the same assistance from  Duterte through the PPP program on Friday, February 9.

Duterte said they have distributed assistance to barangays since Wednesday, February 7, to ensure relief was delivered directly to the communities. He added that his team also aided 1,000 families affected by flooding last week.

Aside from Davao City, Duterte ordered the distribution of 8,000 packs of rice to various municipalities, particularly in Carmen, Busaon, Tuganay, Santo Tomas, and Panabo City, in Davao del Norte, for families by affected by flood and landslide.

"Our Pulong Pulong ni Pulong (PPP) relief operations continue within Davao City and neighboring provinces to ensure we reach the families affected and provide immediate aid," Duterte said.

The Office of the Civil Defense-11 reported that Davao del Norte, particularly Carmen town, had the highest number of individuals affected by the calamity with 34,000, Davao Oriental with 23,000, Davao de Oro with 12,000, and Davao City with more than 8,000.

OCD-11 noted that 72,000 families or 278,000 individuals were affected by the LPA. There were 12,978 families, or 44,720 persons, who took temporary shelter in evacuation centers and 11,836 outside.