DAVAO CITY (October 14) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited quake-stricken communities in Davao Oriental on Monday, delivering nearly PHP298 million in assistance to help fast-track recovery in areas hit by the Oct. 10 twin earthquakes.
According to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, the aid includes PHP50 million for the provincial government and allocations for affected LGUs: PHP15 million each for Manay, Banaybanay, and Lupon; PHP10 million each for Mati City, Tarragona, Baganga, Boston, and Cateel; PHP5 million for Caraga and San Isidro; and PHP3 million for Governor Generoso.
The Office of the President will also provide PHP20 million to Agusan del Sur; PHP15 million each to Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Davao City.
The Department of Budget and Management will release Local Government Support Funds, while the Department of Public Works and Highways will tap its Quick Response Fund for repairs.
Marcos inspected damages at Manay National High School and the provincial hospital and visited evacuation centers in Tarragona and Manay. The Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed PHP10,000 cash aid to 35 families and 255 food packs.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development committed PHP20 million, 150 modular housing units, and PHP50 million in materials under its disaster shelter program. Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the units are part of a planned “Bayanihan Village” for displaced residents.
The magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes affected parts of Davao and Caraga regions, causing landslides, power outages, and structural damage. Thousands remain displaced, with several towns under a state of calamity.
