DAVAO CITY, Philippines –— The City Government, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and local barangays, assisted families impacted by flooding on June 30 and July 1.
Heavy rainfall caused flooding in flood-prone areas, including Barangay Calinan Poblacion, Barangay Talomo Proper, and Barangay Bago Aplaya. A total of 33 families, approximately 111 individuals, were affected by the June 30 flooding.
The CSWDO distributed food packs and organized community cooking in Calinan for the affected families. In Barangay Talomo Proper and Bago Aplaya, barangay officials provided lomi and welfare goods from the office of Congressman Paolo Duterte.
All affected families returned to their homes around midnight after the floodwaters receded. The 17 families who evacuated from Barangays Talomo Proper and Bago Aplaya on July 1 also returned home once conditions improved.
Ms. Julie Dayaday, Officer-in-Charge of the CSWDO, emphasized the importance of providing necessary services and food assistance during flooding incidents. She noted that barangays are typically the first responders, conducting initial assessments and providing immediate aid to victims.
“We facilitate the provision of assistance. The barangays handle the initial response, ensuring evacuees’ needs are met. The CSWDO then conducts master listing and profiling of evacuees. If the evacuation occurs early, we provide food for community cooking or hot meals,” Dayaday explained.
Depending on the number of evacuees, the CSWDO either conducts community cooking or deploys their mobile kitchen.
The CSWDO continues to urge residents to avoid constructing homes in danger zones and to follow city ordinances, especially regarding preemptive evacuation.
