By Leilani Junio
MANILA, (PNA) — The Dept. of Social Welfare and Development boosted Saturday its assistance to the displaced families being sheltered in 22 evacuation centers in Zamboanga City.
DSWD Undersecretary Parisya Hashim Taradji for Operations and Programs Group said she, two Assistant Secretaries of DSWD Teodulo R. Romo Jr. and Camilo Gudmalin and other social workers from regional and DSWD’s central office, joined DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman as a united “team” in Zamboanga City.
“We are here as a reinforcement team to assure that we are “one” in addressing their (evacuees) concerns and welfare who were affected by the six-day on-going armed conflict,” said Undersecretary Taradji in a telephone interview with the Philippines News Agency.
Taradji said as of 4:00pm there are a total 11,078 families equivalent to 58,717 individuals that are now seeking shelter in 22 evacuation centers situated in different areas in Zamboanga City.
Taradji said it is still in Joaquin Sports Complex or Grand Stand which has the most numerous number of evacuees.
She said that DSWD being in the forefront of delivering assistance continuously provides ready to eat food packs, hygiene supplies, portalets, mats, blankets, mosquito nets and kitchen utensils.
She cited that DSWD has so far released a total of assistance worth P6,840,000.00 from its central office in addition to the relief food packs that DSWD earlier prepositioned and other goods transferred from DSWD’s regional offices in CARAGA, Region X, and Region XI Friday.
She added that that they established children and women desk areas so those needing special attention will be properly taken care of.
She added that that they will conduct supplementary feeding for children and psycho-social intervention will also be undertaken by augmented social workers in different evacuations sites.
She added that she as well as DSWD chief Soliman and other officials of DSWD are so grateful for the outpour of support and donations by concerned civil society organizations(CSO) and local government units in addressing the situation by attending to the needy people in the evacuation centers and contributing to the alleviation of their sufferings.