IT’S with great relief that we welcomed the news of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that it has been able to deliver the first relief assistance to the most remote area affected by typhoon Ferdie last Monday, five days after the typhoon of maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph.
Ferdie first made landfall over Itbayat at 12:15 a.m. of September 14.
Itbayat, a fifth class municipality of Batanes is the country’s northernmost municipality located just around 200 kilometers from the southernmost tip of Taiwan.
Typhoon Ferdie exited Philippine area of responsibility at 12:30 p.m. leaving behind destroyed houses, structures and infrastructures, and crops. Fortunately, there was zero casualty.
This only means there was ample preparedness and awareness. But there is devastation.
Without the Itbayat figures, 2,710 families or 10,344 have been displaced in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, and Batanes, of which, 20 families or 151 persons are still inside three evacuation centers, while 2,651 families or 10,063 persons temporarily took shelter with their relatives and friends.
“Damaged were houses, electric posts, school buildings, crops and livestock and agricultural products such as bananas and coconut trees. The Itbayat municipal assessment initially cost the damages amounting to P64.7M,” said DSWD-Assistant Bureau Director Carlos Padolina.
While sending of relief goods will be difficult considering the distance of the islands from where we were, we are sure that the DSWD will appreciate some assistance, especially in rebuilding what has been destroyed. We are hoping that there are the philanthropists who can coordinate with the DSWD to help send those most needed help.
It is in situations like these when residents must feel the remoteness of their location.
Still, the DSWD deserves our praises for being able to deliver the relief goods as soon as it is safe to land these on the small islands of Batanes, having been able to send the fist mission last September 17 and sending over a damage assessment team as well headed by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Executive Director Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad with DSWD Assistant Secretary Hope Hervilla, and DSWD-Assistant Bureau Director Carlos Padolina to confer with the local government to find out what more need to be brought in.
“The government’s response and relief efforts will continue. We hope to immediately assess the extent of the damage brought by Typhoon ‘Ferdie’ and to be able to extent aid in Itbayat through a follow up relief mission. They still need food supplies, materials to secure their houses, and emergency communication,” said DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo.
DSWD Davao Region office can be contacted through Tel/Fax: (082) 226-28-57, while all contact numbers from wherever you are listed at http://www.dswd.gov.ph/contact-us/