Duterte orders Cabinet to aid Auring victims

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Cabinet members to provide immediate and comprehensive assistance to victims of Tropical Storm Auring.

Duterte instructed agencies to respond holistically to affected communities in Surigao del Sur without requiring local officials to travel to Metro Manila for follow-ups.

The President conducted an aerial inspection of affected areas before holding a situational briefing with national and local officials, emphasizing the need for Cabinet representatives to visit the province within the week to assess damage.

As of Tuesday morning, around 31,884 families in Bicol Region, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, and Caraga Region were affected by Auring, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The Department of Agriculture provided PHP300,000 worth of immediate assistance including milled rice, chicks, and vegetable seeds for farmers whose farms and livelihoods were impacted.

DA-13 also distributed over PHP217 million worth of seeds, farm machinery, and equipment to the provincial government and local farmer groups, while PCIC released an indemnification fund totaling PHP1.2 million.