PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte tasked the National Housing Authority (NHA) to provide housing assistance amounting to P100 million to victims of Typhoon Odette in Dinagat Islands located in northeastern Mindanao.
The order was given during the president’s visit and inspection of the islands yesterday, which was among the areas badly affected by the typhoon.
Many of the houses in Dinagat Islands were either partially damaged or totally damaged.
According to Acting Presidential Spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, the president also instructed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide financial assistance to typhoon victims, aside from providing relief goods and food packs.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, who accompanied President Duterte in visiting typhoon-affected areas, earlier said the president instructed the DSWD to provide P5,000 financial aid to each family.
The president, according to Go, also told the Office of the Executive Secretary to release P4 billion worth of funds, either today or tomorrow, which will be given to local government units severely affected by the typhoon as additional assistance for its residents.
Relatedly, the president also tasked the Department of the Interior and Local Government to monitor and supervise the distribution of the financial assistance.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy assured that gasoline and other petroleum products will be delivered to Dinagat Islands.