MANILA, (PNA) — About 9,500 hygiene kits containing bath soap, detergent, towel and pail were distributed Friday to evacuees at the Joaquin Enriquez Sports Complex (Grandstand) in Zamboanga City to ensure sanitation and cleanliness in the area.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman added that eating utensils and mats, blankets and ‘malong’ were given to the families affected by the on-going armed conflict between the government troops and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
The DSWD chief also cited that to date, 33 portable toilets were set up at the grandstand complementing other existing toilet facilities in the area.
Soliman said additional portalet units were put up at the Cawa-cawa Boulevard for the Badjao families.
Soliman said the Zamboanga City Water district and the Philippine Red Cross regularly supply potable water to the evacuees.
She said she was overwhelmed by the “bayanihan” spirit prevailing in the evacuation center as local food providers and civil society organizations continue to provide meals for the evacuees.
“The Philippine Red Cross provides 10,000 dinner packs nightly to augment ready-to-eat food packs from the community kitchen of the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO) and different food service providers in the city,” said Soliman.
She added that DSWD procured about 20,000 packs of lunch and another 20,000 packs for dinner on September 18 from the Junior Chamber International (JCI).
Some individuals and families also shared packed meals at the evacuation center.
As of Friday noon, 23,794 families or 118,819 persons were affected by the crisis.
There are about 20,643 families or 111,162 persons staying in 57 evacuation centers.
Some 11,979 families composed of 71,265 persons are currently staying at the Joaquin F. Enriquez, Jr. Sports Complex, the biggest evacuation center in the city.
According to the latest data of DSWD, the total cost of assistance provided to the affected families has reached P37,778,615.
Of this amount, P35,397,835 came from the disaster fund of DSWD.
The local government unit (LGU) of Zamboanga City likewise provided about P1 million while NGOs and civil society groups provided assistance worth P1.38 million.