Sarangani to utilize P20M calamity funds (1:43 p.m.)
DAVAO CITY — The Provincial Board of Sarangani has declared the province in a state of calamity, authorizing its local government to utilize at least five percent of its calamity fund.
The fund will be given to victims of flashfloods caused by Typhoon Frank.
It will also be utilized to rehabilitate provincial roads and other infrastructures damaged by the floods.
“So we are using our five percent calamity fund to immediately provide assistance to the victims,” Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon.
The Vice Governor said private and business sector donors were also extending relief assistance to at least 1,775 families.
The families of about 7,160 dependents belong to the coastal towns of Maasim, Maitum and Kiamba and Alabel.
The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) placed the damage to property, crops and infrastructure at P50 million.
The figure is expected to rise as soon as other damage reports from the fields are consolidated.
Provincial social welfare and development officer Hermelo Latoja said Wednesday, “We will provide food and other relief assistance to victims of the flashfloods who are really hardly affected. Doon naman sa hindi masyado affected (For those who are not that affected), we will implement the food for work scheme, where they have to help in the rehabilitation efforts before they will be provided with assistance.”
He said PDCC shall move to convert relief activities into food-for-work after the next three days.
Around 600 sacks of rice, canned goods, and used clothing for displaced families came from Petron Foundation, You Against Corruption and Poverty (Yacap), Smart Communications, ABS-CBN, Red Cross, Alcantara Foundation, and Senate President Manny Villar, according to the vice governor.
Even residents from Davao City and local church groups have been donating goods and used clothing.
Governor Miguel Dominguez earlier instructed relief workers that, “no one from the displaced families or any individual will be left hungry.”
Flashfloods and big waves spawned by typhoon Frank across the coastal towns of Maitum, Kiamba, Alabel and Maasim damaged more than 600 houses.
Big waves also destroyed a large fishing boat in Maitum and 10 other pumpboats in Maasim.
In barangay Lomuyon , Kiamba, two girls — Jessamor Adom, 9, and Mary Jane Panatoc, 11 — died “due to uprooted coconut trees” at the height of the flooding Saturday
Teresita Tasig, 12, of barangay Kalaong, Maitum was also reported missing since June 20. (Nelson C. Bagaforo)
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