The Provincial Government sent much-needed relief goods to the residents of the municipality of Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental, which was stricken by heavy flooding on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, brought about by the effects of the trough of the Low-Pressure Area (LPA).
Immediately a day after the flooding, the provincial government transported around 20,000 food packs containing five kilos of rice and seven pieces of canned goods for all of the town’s 20 affected villages.
Through her team, Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon conveyed her sadness about the untoward incident in the town, especially to those much affected by the calamity. She vowed that the provincial government, with the help of concerned agencies, would do everything it could to provide assistance to ease the residents’ burdens.
Meanwhile, Governor Malanyaon has offered her sympathies and provided immediate cash assistance amounting to P20,000 to the family of the one casualty who drowned in the flooding.
The victim’s family and the residents say that despite enduring a terrible disaster on Valentine’s Day, they still felt so much love from the provincial government, which never left them in their time of need and despair.
Governor Generoso town Mayor Juanito Inojales, who also provided relief aid and supplies to the residents, thanked Governor Malanyaon for her quick response to his ailing constituents.
Mayor Inojales said that his municipality is set to declare a state of calamity to fast-track emergency response and interventions. He said fifteen out of the town’s 20 barangays were affected, consisting of 9,426 families. Most of these barangays are situated in low-lying and flood-prone areas, causing them to experience severe flooding.
The weather disturbance resulted in the overflowing of waterways and caused damage to several roads and bridges. Moreover, the calamity also heavily damaged the town’s agriculture sector. The mayor estimated around 40 percent of the town’s agriculture sector had been damaged, including large swaths of rice and cornfields.
𝗨𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗗𝗬
On the day supposed to be a time for celebration, villagers of Governor Generoso woke up to an unexpected tragedy, which they say was the first time of this scale in many years.
Barangay Tamban, a coastal village, was hardest hit by the flooding. Punong Barangay Rudy Rubio said the heavy downpour started at the dawn of February 13 and lasted until morning. It resulted in the sudden rise of the water level, and floodwaters overflowed nearby rivers and crept inside homes.
The flood completely damaged two homes in just a matter of hours. Rosalina Boncales, 65, was among those who lost her home to the flood. She and her husband, who are currently staying at the barangay hall for shelter, said they now depend on the government’s assistance to start over with their lives.
One resident, Joel Gaudicos, 39, drowned in the flooding. Based on the official report, he was gathering wood near the river with his 15-year-old nephew when a strong current suddenly rushed in, which swept them to the sea. His nephew, 15-year-old Joseph, was spared from his uncle’s ill fate.
Mayor Inojales reminded the residents to take the necessary precautions, especially when there are weather disturbances. He told them to be vigilant, stay away from rivers, and evacuate to safer grounds during heavy downpours.
Aside from the provincial and municipal government, several national agencies and officials committed to assisting the flood victims of Governor Generoso town. ʙʏ ᴋᴀʀᴇɴ ʟᴏᴜ ᴅᴇʟᴏꜱᴏ | ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏꜱ ʙʏ ᴍᴀʀᴋ ᴏʟɪᴠᴇʀ ᴀʟᴠɪᴛᴇ
