MANILA (UPDATED) — The cost of assistance for the victims of calamities brought by the recent stormy weather in the Philippines has reached P275 million, an official from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Saturday.

The amount came from pooled resources of the DSWD, local government units, and non-government organizations, said Chris Mathay, director of the DSWD Disaster Response and Management Bureau.

It was used to help the 3.2 million individuals who were affected by the combined effects of the southwest monsoon, and typhoons Egay and Falcon, he said.

• Death toll from heavy Egay, habagat rises to 29: NDRRMC

“We take care of the mental health of our kababayans na affected by disasters,” he said.

“We also have this camp management coordination program sa mga evacuation centers. May mga social workers tayong tumutugon sa mga problemang ganiyan,” he said.

A total of 868,000 families from 5,000 barangays in 12 regions were hit by the inclement weather in the past few weeks, he said.

The government still has 1.8-billion worth of stockpile items, and P2.2-billion worth of standby and quick response funds, he said.

REHABILITATION EFFORTS CONTINUE IN CAGAYAN

Cagayan's Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said they would help destroyed homes because of super typhoon Egay.

The Office of Civil Defense has already purchased some materials that could be given to residents with partially and totally damaged houses, said Cagayan PDRRMO had Reden Ruelig.

Some residents were still staying with their relatives or in evacuation centers, Ruelig said.

Many roads, he said, have already been fixed or cleared.

"Tuloy-tuloy pang inaayos ng engineering offices natin (ang roads), local at itong provincial, kung municipal road, yung municipal engineering natin. Kung provincial road naman, yung provincial engineering office," he said on Radyo 630.

The agriculture department vowed to provide seedlings to affected farmers in the province, the official said, and the local government has also provided aid.

Aid from the national government and other officials were enough to help the province, said Ruelig.

"Bumubuhos ang tulong dito, hindi lang sa bahagi ng pamahalaan kundi pati private individuals ay nagpapaabot din sa ating tanggapan ng mga tulong nila. Yung mga international NGOs na pumupunta sila," he said.

The death toll from the recent heavy rains and floods brought by the southwest monsoon or habagat enhanced by typhoon Egay has climbed to 29, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Friday.

• Egay, habagat leave P7-B worth of damage to roads, bridges: DPWH

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