DSWD: Help on the way for ‘hard-to-reach’ North Cotabato villages

MANILA, Philippines— The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Monday assured residents of far-flung villages of Makilala, North Cotabato affected by the series of earthquakes that government aid would be delivered to them.

According to the social welfare agency, Makilala is one of the hard-to-reach areas because of earthquake-induced landslides in some villages.

The DSWD said a total of 20,704 families or 103,520 individuals from the 38 barangays of Makilala town have been affected by the series of tremors while over 20,000 houses were damaged during the quakes.

“We assure our kababayans in Makilala that help is on the way. We are looking for the fastest way possible to deliver assistance, especially in areas isolated due to landslides,” Joel Espejo, director of DSWD Field Office XII said in a release.

As of 6 p.m. on Saturday, the government had already provided P1.4 million worth of assistance to the affected families.

It said that residents from barangays Malasila, Kisante and Old Bulatokan were already provided with relief assistance.

On the other hand, residents of Barangay Luayon, who have been difficult to reach by land due to landslides, received relief aid delivered by a helicopter of the Philippine Air Force.

The DSWD assured the quake-affected families and individuals that the government has enough relief assistance for them.

DSWD Field Offices in Central and Southern Mindanao conducted relief operations even during the Undas break.

They have provided assistance worth P4.2 million to 28,656 families or 143,280 individuals in North Cotabato as of post.

On the other hand, 34,920 quake-affected residents or 6,984 families from Davao Del Sur received P2.07 million worth of assistance.

The DSWD said its social workers are also assisting the LGUs in managing the 30 evacuation centers in the quake-affected areas to provide 4,362 families or 21,810 individuals temporary shelters.

The agency is also conducting psychosocial counseling for adults and play therapy for children affected by the destructive tremor.

At least three powerful quakes struck the province of North Cotabato in the past two weeks. The tremor also affected other areas of Mindanao. —Rosette Adel