DSWD distributes P189.2M aid to Mindanao disaster victims

As of Wednesday, February 14, 2024, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that P189.2 million worth of aid had been distributed to Mindanaoans affected by a low-pressure area trough.

The aid was given to over 1.6 million individuals or 451,089 families in Davao Region, Soccskargen, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Among those affected, around 316,000 displaced persons are being monitored, with nearly 19,000 residing in evacuation centers across these regions.

The trough of the LPA caused damage to over 1,600 houses and led to a landslide in Davao de Oro on February 6, resulting in at least 55 deaths.

In response, DSWD provided aid including food packs, medicine, hygiene kits, and water, and social workers are offering grief counseling to the families of victims.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured that additional financial aid and psycho-social intervention will be given to those affected, with over P3 billion in relief resources still available.