PNoy appeals for help for Albay flood victims

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday appealed to the public to extend help to families in Bicol displaced by floods and landslides caused by rains in recent days. In his Facebook account, Aquino said the Department of Social Welfare and Development already released P503,270.65 in relief assistance to affected families in Albay and Sorsogon. "Sa mga pwede pong tumulong, tulungan natin ang mga nasalanta ng ulan at pagbaha. Salamat po (To those who can help, let us aid the families affected by rains and floods. Thank you very much)!" he said. A feed on the government's Twitter account said at least 9,667 families or 43,932 individuals from 81 villages in Albay and Sorsogon had been affected by flash floods.

Local government units in Albay had earlier placed the province under state of calamity. The raging flood waters had already killed three people. Meanwhile, Albay Governor Jose Salceda said his province is now under a "state of continuing disaster." In a radio interview, Salceda said they have had intervals of heavy rains and good weather since Dec. 23. "Halos linggo-linggo pag Huwebes, Biyernes at Sabado, ang lakas ng rainfall ... (kami ay nasa) state of continuing disaster (We have been having heavy rainfall from Thursdays to Saturdays for the last several weeks. So we are now under a state of continuing calamity)," Salceda said in an interview on dzBB radio Monday morning. Such a state will allow the province to always prepare for possible floods and landslides caused by heavy rains, he said. Only last Dec. 31, Albay officials allowed residents who were evacuated due to landslides and floods to go home, after the weather there improved. But on Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned that the tail-end of a cold front that caused the heavy rains may go north again towards Eastern Visayas and the Bicol area. "Kailangan lagi kaming handa (We have to be prepared all the time)," Salceda said, adding he wants to maintain his zero-casualty policy. - KBK, GMANews.TV