National Government Gives More Aid to Albay Evacuees

Legazpi City (PNA) -– President Benigno S. Aquino III has approved the request of the provincial government of Albay for 1.5 million food packs to be provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The food packs are good for 90 days, according to Albay Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda, who said the assistance was recommended by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Preparedness Cluster headed by Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

The DSWD will make an initial delivery of 54,000 packs through a food caravan of 54 trucks that will arrive on Sunday.

“It will be named Zero Casualty and Good Governance Caravan,” Salceda said.

Private donors will join the caravan to Albay, he said.

The President also approved Php30 million for 327 sets of toilets/baths to be handled by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and Php42 million for the maintenance expenditures of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office.

In addition, the DSWD committed 12,600 family kits while the Department of Health (DOH) was requested to provide 12,600 hygiene kits for the evacuees. (PNA) FFC/FGS/EMC/CBD