ILIGAN CITY — Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured continued and comprehensive government assistance for families affected by Tropical Storm Basyang in Iligan City, following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Gatchalian visited Iligan on Saturday to assess conditions on the ground, citing the city as among the hardest hit by the storm.
While the DSWD regional office had been deployed even before Basyang made landfall, the Secretary led a Central Office team to further evaluate the needs of displaced families and the status of evacuation centers.
Local authorities reported that floodwaters in residential areas have begun to recede, allowing residents to return home and start cleanup operations.
As a result, the number of evacuation centers has decreased from more than 30 to just over 20.
From an initial estimate of about 6,000 displaced families, the figure has dropped to approximately 4,000 and is expected to continue declining in the coming days.
Gatchalian reiterated the President’s assurance that no affected family will go hungry.
He said family food packs were prepositioned in Iligan City before the storm and are continuously being distributed. Non-food items—including sleeping kits, kitchen kits, family kits, and hygiene packs—are also readily available to address immediate needs.
For recovery and rehabilitation, the DSWD is coordinating with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to provide financial assistance to families whose homes were partially or totally damaged.
The agency will also roll out cash-for-work programs to support residents whose livelihoods were disrupted, allowing them to earn income while helping clear debris and rehabilitate their communities.
Further assistance will depend on the final profiling of affected families, which is still ongoing, Gatchalian said.
Under the President’s directive, he added, all government agencies have been instructed to extend full support to Iligan City.
These include cleanup operations led by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), relief distribution by the DSWD, and recovery initiatives in coordination with DHSUD.
“All government agencies are working together to assist Iligan City—at 101 percent,” Gatchalian said.
The DSWD has so far provided more than ₱8 million worth of assistance to Iligan residents affected by Tropical Storm Basyang.
This includes 7,750 family food packs, hygiene kits, sleeping kits, ready-to-eat food, and other non-food items.
Based on the latest data, 24,540 individuals or 6,217 families were affected by the storm. Of these, 21,719 people are currently staying in 33 evacuation centers across the city.
Meanwhile, Mayor Frederick Siao thanked President Marcos and the DSWD for the swift national government response, particularly the deployment of Secretary Gatchalian to oversee relief operations.
Siao noted that while the city has a Quick Response Fund, it is insufficient to cover all disaster-related needs. He said the DSWD will provide financial assistance to families whose homes were partially or totally damaged, subject to validation by the City Social Welfare and Development Office.
To address debris and cleanup concerns in flood-hit barangays, the Mayor said the DSWD proposed a cash-for-work program, which will be implemented alongside direct financial aid.
He also renewed the city government’s call for major infrastructure interventions from the DPWH, citing long-standing flood issues dating back to Tropical Storm Sendong, including narrow and low-lying bridges and unresolved dredging concerns that worsen flooding.
Siao emphasized the need for a bottom-up approach to disaster planning, stressing that local governments are best positioned to identify on-the-ground risks that may not be immediately visible at the national level.
The city government will also coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to explore possible assistance for local businesses affected by flood-related losses.
