Some 1,000 families affected by tropical storm “Ondoy” in Marikina and Quezon cities have transferred to the government’s relocation sites in Laguna and Bulacan.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral said more than 1,000 families from Marikina City were relocated to two sites in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, and about 100 families from Quezon City to Towerville in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

She said the relocation of families was in response to the directive of President Arroyo to all concerned government agencies to provide shelter assistance to homeless families.

The instruction was particularly addressed to the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), and the DSWD to start the immediate rehabilitation and reconstruction of partially and totally damaged houses.

Cabral said they have closely worked with HUDCC and concerned local government units (LGUs) for the identification of beneficiaries and other possible relocation sites for the displaced families.

The DSWD chief said assistance for typhoon victims in affected regions 1, 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 9, 12, Cordillera Administrative Region, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and National Capital Region is ongoing through the programs put in place by the government.

“The DSWD is also implementing the Balik-Probinsya program that provides transportation assistance and subsistence allowance to affected families who would like to return to their provincial places of origin or area of choice for resettlement,” Cabral said.

She said the Department is conducting the profiling and validation of affected families in coordination with concerned LGUs and other national government agencies for the provision of comprehensive psychosocial services and interventions, such as critical incident stress debriefing, cash-for-work, and livelihood assistance.