The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII led the distribution of food and non-food items to flood victims in Barangay Cansaga, Consolacion, Cebu on October 31, 2022.

Punong Barangay Denmark Prame said that 59 displaced families are currently at the evacuation center in Cansaga Gym out of the 230 reported affected families in the community where the river overflowed due to heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Paeng.

According to the report received by DSWD, affected families whose houses are located in a rented lot, will no longer be allowed to use the lot due to high risks.

Santiago Medil, one of the displaced individuals, shared that this is not the first time the flood happened and that the situation got worse compared to the previous incident. “Kaduha na ni nahitabo apan wala man mi mahimo kay wala man mi lain kapuy-an (this happened twice, but we could not do anything because we had nowhere else to stay),” he said.

All displaced families currently at the evacuation center have already received family food packs, hygiene kits, and 2 ‘malongs’ or blankets, per family, together with 60 modular tents that will serve as their temporary shelter.

The local government unit of Consolacion and DSWD Field Office VII work together by providing shelter, food, and non-food items to the 234 evacuees and the deployment of trained personnel to demonstrate proper camp coordination and camp management, as well as the protection of internally displaced people (IDP) among women, children, and the sick and vulnerable.

The field office also provided two rolls of laminated sacks to prevent water from entering the evacuation center during heavy rains or protect them from the heat of the sun.

Assistant Secretary for Visayas Affairs Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre, who led the distribution of assistance on October 31, 2022, said, “The DSWD, through our field office here, would gladly help the officials of Barangay Cansaga and the local government of Consolacion in taking care of the evacuees affected by the recent flooding.”

On November 2, 2022, Undersecretary for Special Concerns Vilma B. Cabrera also visited the evacuation center to ensure the distribution of assistance to the displaced families. ###

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