The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in coordination with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) of Batangas, is now assisting the provincial local government in the validation of damaged houses and infrastructures affected by the twin earthquakes that hit the province on April 8.
Based on the updated report sent by the DSWD Regional Office-CALABARZON, a Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) was already conducted in Batangas Provincial Capitol to present the situation on the extent of the damage brought by the earthquakes.
The Field Office already deployed their Provincial Action Team in the affected areas to validate the data on the damaged houses based on the report of the PDRRMC utilizing the Emergency Shelter Assistance Form which includes photos of possible beneficiaries and their damaged shelters.
The validated data will be the basis for a consolidated rehabilitation plan for the affected communities in Batangas Province.
Currently, there is a total of 3,114 damaged houses in the province, of which, 432 were totally damaged, while 2,682 were partially damaged.
In addition to the ongoing validation, four teams were deployed in Tingloy, to continue the conduct of Psychosocial Processing (PSP) to the ten remaining barangays who were not yet given PSP intervention since the onset of the earthquake.
Meanwhile, one evacuation center remains open sheltering 13 families or 52 individuals in Brgy. Sta. Clara, Batangas City. According to the local government, the area where the families are living is a landslide prone area and there are reported damaged infrastructures that may put the life of the locals in danger. They are now continuously monitoring and providing assistance to the displaced families inside the center.
DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo assured concerned local governments that the Department will continue to monitor the status of the affected barangays and deliver appropriate intervention and additional support, if necessary. ###
