THE NATIONAL Housing Authority (NHA) will provide P100 million worth of assistance to survivors of typhoon Odette in Dinagat Islands who lost their homes, as instructed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Wednesday.
Typhoon Odette, internationally known as Rai, made its second landfall on Dec. 16 in Dinagat, a cluster of islands in the northeastern side of Mindanao. It has a population of 128,117, based on the 2020 census.
Provincial officials estimate that up to 95% of houses were affected.
Caraga Region, where the Dinagat province is located, has so far recorded a total of 8,661 damaged houses, with 6,628 partially destroyed and 2,033 completely devastated, based on the report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Thursday.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles said on a Thursday that the President met with evacuees and local officials in the area, where he vowed to provide the means to speed up clearing operations and help residents reconstruct their homes.
The President also directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide financial assistance to affected families, while the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will monitor and supervise its distribution.
The DSWD financial aid will be on top of continued provision of food and other relief items. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan