Social services office out to bare cost of flood damage

THE City Government of Davao, through the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO), is expected to reveal today (Thursday) the estimated cost of damage on areas massively hit by the recent floods.

In a phone interview, Liwayway Caligdong, assistant chief of the CSSDO, said they could not directly release the cost of damage since they have to undergo a "house-to-house validation" from the 13,088 families with 40,155 individuals families affected last January 19.

"Mga 95 percent na among nahuman. Ginatrabaho gyud namo na, nagabotas man gani atong mga workers kada adto sa mga balay kay lapok (We have finished 95 percent. We are working on that. Our workers are even wearing boot in going to each house because of mud)," Caligdong told Sun.Star Davao.

Caligdong said the affected areas in the barangays of Tigatto, Waan, and some parts of Maa have yet to be validated.

The CSSDO, she said, is already done with the other 12 barangays.

However, she said their house-to-house validation is not only focused on the 15 barangays that were declared under state of calamity, as they also include other areas where damage has been reported.

This includes Barangay San Isidro in Bunawan District, Suawan in Marilog District, and Los Amigos in Tugbok District, she said.

"In fact, we are giving them food assistance," she said.

Caligdong said there are around 15 to 18 daycare and social workers assigned for the validation in each affected barangay.

Meanwhile, Caligdong said the distribution of cash assistance among affected families is set tomorrow, February 1.

The City Council approved P37-million budget for the CSSDO intended for the financial assistance of affected families.