DSWD: P62M alloted for typhoon 'Pedring' victims

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday said more than P62 million in relief funds have been allotted for the victims of Typhoon "Pedring." Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman said the funds were distributed to typhoon victims in the National Capital Region, and regions 4A, 4B, and 5. "The immediate intervention is done by the local government units, we augment (when they ask us)," she said during Wednesday's Senate finance committee hearing on the budget of the DSWD. Soliman said they monitored the preemptive evacuation in Region 5 and have provided thousands of sacks of rice to several areas in the region.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Standby funds The DSWD has allocated P662.5 million in standby funds to augment the budgets of local government units during times of natural calamities or disasters. As of August 31, the DSWD has spent around half of it or P351.6 million. Typhoon "Pedring" (international name: Nesat) exited to the West Philippine Sea on Tuesday and left at least 18 people dead. Mass transport was disrupted and millions of residents were left without power as strong winds and incessant rains battered a large swathe of Luzon, including Metro Manila, one of the areas placed under Signal No. 2 since Monday afternoon. - VVP, GMA News