DAVAO ORIENTAL, Feb. 17— While communities in the east coast towns are still convalescing from the massive devastation brought about by the heavy flooding and landslides that hit the province last month, food assistance and rice seeds were turned over to them Monday, February 10.
About 25,285 affected families in the towns of Cateel and Baganga who were reached by the relief distribution say they were thankful for the food assistance that came. “The disaster had paralyzed our income making it difficult for us to buy food,” said one resident in Brgy. San Alfonso in Cateel town.
While serving as a temporary measure to aid them in the short-term, residents says they are grateful to the government who understands their plight and doing the best it can to alleviate their suffering.
Provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), each food pack contained five kilos of rice, 4 cans meat loaf, 10 pieces noodles and coffee.
Meanwhile, an initial 250 farmers in the coastal towns of Caraga, Baganga, Cateel, and Boston, each received one sack of rice seeds provided by the Department of Agriculture RFU XI. These rice seeds are intended to help farmers who are desperate to replant after vast rice swathes have been destroyed by the heavy floods.
“It is our first time to experience such huge flood here in our village. The fields were covered in mud and even our livestocks drowned in the flood,” said farmer Gregorio Laurente of BarangayTaytayan, Cateel.
Based on initial reports from the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAGRI), damage on rice plantations alone was valued at 11.4 million pesos covering a total of 2,324 hectares. The large portion of which is in the east coast towns that covered a total of 2,265 hectares.
The PAGRI Office said that the initial handover of farm inputs was part of the 8.3 million pesos initial rehab assistance requested by the Provincial Government from the DA. This aid includes provision of ‘palay’ seeds, organic fertilizer, BLB stopper, and insecticides.
Grateful over the granted farm inputs, farmers said these would definitely help them to start planting again.
Long-term efforts
Apart from the stopgap aid, the provincial government is also embarking on interventions meant to benefit people in the long-term. These include industry development such as the oil palm production that promises prolific venture. With the already established market tie-ups with multi-national companies, the industry is poised to induce economic boost for the province.
Meanwhile, in terms of shelter provision, Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon met recently with local officials, directing them to fast track scouting for resettlement sites. During the meeting, she underscored that housing funds will only be allocated to homes that will be built on ‘safe zones’. “The government will not shell out funds for building houses on danger areas, otherwise, it will just be a total waste of resources,” she said.
In terms of accessibility, Governor Malanyaon said that the government is doing the best it can to expedite the repairs of the collapsed Lumao Bridge in Cateel, which left the town isolated from the capital for nearly a month.
“The continuous heavy downpour made the repairs of the bridge more difficult,” she said. “However, the Presidential Bridge Task Force together with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH),
assured that they will commence the construction of the temporary bailey bridge this week to ease access,” she added.
She also assured the people the restoration of roads to far-flung villages through the ‘Operation Kalsada’ wherein sets of equipment are being deployed by the province to facilitate simultaneous repair of barangay roads.
She urged the barangay officials to prioritize the best interest of the people who needs the government’s genuine services, especially in this time of crisis. (By Karen Lou Deloso/ Photo by Eden JhanLicayan)
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