DBM: Enough funds to assist Auring victims

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Various government agencies involved in relief operations and infrastructure recovery efforts have enough  Quick Response Fund (QRF) to assist victims of Typhoon Auring, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado has assured President Duterte.

Avisado said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has P1 billion in QRF; Bureau of Fire Protection, P50 million; Philippine National Police, P50 million; Office of Civil Defense, P500 million; Department of Public Works and Highways, P1 billion, and Department of Social Welfare Secretary and Development, P1.2 billion.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said P22.09 million in standby fund and food and non-food items could be tapped aside from more than 30,000 in food packs ready for distribution to assist typhoon victims.

At least 3,658 families will receive P3,000 in relief assistance. Those whose houses were destroyed will get P30,000 each while those whose houses were damaged will get P15,000 each.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said livelihood support funds, including loans, would be provided to 1,000 small businesses affected by the typhoon.

The DA is allocating P230 million in interventions to farmers and fisherfolk in Surigao del Sur.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Capt. Armand Balilo said PCG boats delivered food packs, tents, sleeping kits and bottles of alcohol to affected families in Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur yesterday.

Above normal rainfall

Meanwhile, the state weather bureau said Mindanao would continue to experience above normal rainfall in the next few months due to the prevailing La Niña.

Ana Liza Solis, chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration climate monitoring and prediction section, said there is 55 percent chance that La Niña, which is associated with excessive rain, would persist until May.

Solis said around four to eight tropical cyclones might enter the country between March and June this year.

La Niña, which started last year, triggered above normal rain in Cagayan at the height of Typhoon Ulysses last November. – Robertzon Ramirez, Christina Mendez, Helen Flores, Catherine Talavera