The relief assistance to the victims of storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” has reached almost P65 million, with nearly 300,000 affected families continuing to receive support from the government.

According to DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral, 292,904 families or 1.5 million individuals affected by recent storms continue to receive relief assistance from the government.

Of these, 222,292 families (1.1 million individuals) were affected by Ondoy, while 70,612 families (336,346 individuals) were displaced by Pepeng.

She said these families being supported are either inside or outside evacuation centers.

Cabral noted that relief assistance consisting of food and non-food commodities amounting to P34.8 million have been provided for Ondoy’s victims, and P31 million have been extended to victims of typhoon Pepeng.

In the NCR, 46 evacuation centers are still serving 5,668 families with 25,026 persons. Cabral said the Calabarzon region has the most number of evacuation centers with 298 housing 26,657 families or 130,449 persons.

Meanwhile, 130 evacuation centers located in Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and the NCR are still housing 9,667 families or 45,956 individuals affected by typhoon Pepeng.

In Region 3, 51 evacuation centers continue to house 4,062 families or 18,460 individuals.

In the NCR, 39 evacuation centers are still open accommodating 2,449 families with 11,717 persons.

Cabral added that the government has intensified efforts to serve typhoon victims by setting up Oplan Sagip Bayan and Donors Desks at the Malacañang Palace, in all concerned DSWD regional offices and in the National Food Authority warehouses to strengthen linkages between the DSWD, local government units, non-government agencies and other partners and to facilitate prompt and effective delivery of donations and humanitarian assistance. (With a report from Leslie Ann G. Aquino)