DAVAO OCCIDENTAL (August 24) — Relief may keep families alive after a disaster, but rebuilding a home, restoring a livelihood and getting children back to school take far longer.
That is now the focus of the national government’s response in earthquake-hit Jose Abad Santos, where agencies are rolling out housing, employment, livelihood, agricultural, education and health assistance for affected families.
Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos, on his second visit to the municipality Friday, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered agencies to work together under a “whole-of-government” approach to help residents move beyond the immediate crisis.
“The President instructed me, ‘Go ahead, Benhur — coordinate the ‘whole-of-government’ approach across the various departments so we can demonstrate the government’s love for the people of Jose Abad Santos,” Abalos said in Filipino.
The effort puts equal weight on recovery and survival — providing families with a roof, a source of income, food, medical care and a way to resume their children’s education.
From shelter to livelihood
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development committed 100 modular shelter units, while the National Housing Authority provided cash assistance to families whose houses were totally destroyed.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources pledged timber for rebuilding, while the Mines and Geosciences Bureau began identifying and assessing safe areas for possible relocation.
But for families whose homes and livelihoods were disrupted at the same time, a house alone will not be enough.
The Department of Labor and Employment deployed its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad) program, giving residents temporary employment while damaged properties are repaired.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority also launched skills training for farmers and fisherfolk, while the Department of Trade and Industry offered assistance in product packaging and market access.
The aim is to help families regain earning capacity rather than remain dependent on emergency aid.
Helping farms recover
Agriculture is another priority in a municipality where farming and fishing support many households.
The Department of Agriculture distributed livestock, seeds and planting materials to help farmers resume production.
The Philippine Coconut Authority also provided food packages containing 25 kilograms of rice, sugar, coffee and other basic commodities to 1,200 affected coconut farmers.
The assistance is intended to bridge the gap while families work to restore their damaged livelihoods.
Keeping children, communities connected
The government is also trying to prevent the disaster from becoming a long-term disruption to education and essential services.
The Department of Education established temporary Learning Continuity Spaces so children can continue studying while schools are being assessed or repaired.
The Department of Health maintained medical services and sanitation monitoring in tent communities, while the Department of Information and Communications Technology deployed Starlink satellite terminals to restore internet connectivity and critical communications.
For families still coping with the shock of the earthquake, these interventions address different pieces of the same problem: how to return to normal life when homes, income, farms and schools have all been disrupted.
Abalos said the government’s response is intended to meet those basic needs as residents begin the difficult transition from disaster victims to survivors rebuilding their communities.
Jose Abad Santos Mayor Jason John Joyce thanked Marcos and Abalos for continuing government assistance beyond the initial relief phase.
For the people of Jose Abad Santos, the real test of recovery will come after the relief packs are gone — when families must once again put up homes, plant crops, find work and rebuild lives on ground that has already shaken beneath them.
