Arroyo to visit flood victims in north Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo will visit evacuation centers in three Northern Mindanao cities starting Tuesday to see the damage caused by flash floods that hit parts of this region last weekend. A Malacañang statement said Arroyo will visit an evacuation center in Iligan City after presiding over the first Cabinet meeting of the year. On Wednesday, she will look into the situation of flood victims in two evacuation centers in Carmen and Macasandig villages, which were hardest hit by flash floods. Flood waters also swamped 13 low-lying villages in the city, affecting some 5,481 families or 27,380 persons. Some 125 houses were destroyed while 68 others were partially damaged by the flashfloods. Arroyo will also extend assistance to flood victims in Gingoog City were 1,495 families or 7,064 persons in three villages were affected. Medical and dental missions by the People's Government Mobile Action Team will be conducted in all evacuation centers. Earlier, Arroyo mobilized all concerned government agencies to provide much-needed assistance to affected families in the disaster areas. The Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) of Region 10 identified the lone casualty as Rogenden Andig, 12, from Barangay 24 in Gingoog City. The missing children were identified as Angel Vencio and Cristina Capusala, both from Macansandig village in Cagayan de Oro City. Their ages were not included in the report. Heavy rains battered several areas in Northern and Northeastern Mindanao, triggering widespread flash floods in the region. Some 7,840 families or some 38,764 persons in 27 villages in the cities of Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog were affected by flashfloods triggered by the volatile mix of continuous heavy rains and high tide. RDCC Region 10 reported that 11 villages were submerged in flood waters, affecting 864 families or 4,320 persons. Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said more than 3,000 of the 5,000 affected families by flash floods in Cagayan de Oro have returned to their homes. "Most of those who remained at evacuation centers were those who lost their homes," said Clem Neri, coordinator of Barangay Macasandig Disaster Coordinating Council in an article on the CBCP website. She said those who stayed either totally or partially lost their homes and felt safer at the village gym and chapel. City government officials assured the victims of adequate services from calamity funds. Villages affected by the flashfloods include Macasandig, Consolacion, Gusa, Balulang, Carmen, Barangay 13, Barangay 15, Barangay 17, Barangay 7, Tablon, Barangay 6 and Indahag. The latest City Disaster Coordinating Council bulletin said Macasandig was the most affected with almost 10,000 persons displaced while eight persons are still missing as of 6 p.m. Sunday. - GMANews.TV