DSWD: Relief efforts focused on Bicol, Davao regions hit by bad weather

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Thursday it has concentrated its relief efforts in the Bicol and Davao regions, which were affected by heavy rains and floods.

“Sa ngayon po, ang concentration ng ating efforts ay nandito po sa Region 5 at Region 11 (Right now, the concentration of our efforts is in Regions 5 and 11),” DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said at a televised public briefing.

“Partikular po kasi ang mga lugar na ito nakaranas po ng malakas pag-uulan at pagbabaha (These areas in particular experience heavy rains and floods),” he added.

Lopez said the most affected areas were Sta. Cruz and Magsaysay in Davao del Sur, where 14 houses were reported damaged.

A total of 2,196 people, or 521 families, were affected by the inclement weather in Bicol and Davao regions. Most of them were staying in five evacuation centers.

On Thursday morning, the state weather bureau PAGASA reported that Tropical Depression Amang had weakened into a low pressure area but was still expected to bring light to moderate to at times heavy rains over the provinces of Rizal and Quezon in the next 24 hours. —VBL, GMA Integrated News