Davao residents hit by monsoon waves get aid

The residents along the four Davao City coastal areas hit by rough waves caused by the onslaught of the Southwest monsoon continue to receive food and non-food assistance from the Davao City government.

Davao City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) head Maria Luisa Bermudo said the monsoon waves displaced around 341 individuals from Puroks 2, 3, and 4 in Barangay Matina Aplaya; Purok 6 in Barangay 23-C; Purok 8 in Barangay 21-C; Purok 59 in Seaside Bangkal, and, Barangay Talomo Proper.

“When the monsoon waves started, we immediately sent them food and non-food assistance. In August, barangays Matina Aplaya, 23-C, 21-C, and Talomo Proper were also affected by monsoon waves,” Bermudo said.

Based on the CSSDO list, Bermudo said at least 100 houses were battered by the monsoon waves, prompting residents to move out the area to the evacuation centers.

“We have given financial assistance to those affected by the monsoon waves last August. Since the affected families by the recent monsoon waves were the same, we no longer gave them financial assistance,” Bermudo said.

Bermudo said that more or less P2 million was released last Friday to purchase food and other non-food items for the last batch of the affected individuals.

Alfredo Baloran, the head City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), said his office already recommended a no-build zone in the affected barangays as these had been identified as hazard-prone areas.

“These areas should be declared as a no-build zone because this incident will take place now and then. We are not just preparing for monsoon waves since those are coastal areas, a tsunami can also hit them,” he said.

Every year the city government shells out calamity funds to assist residents hit by monsoon waves, which occur every year during the months between August and September. CIO