Left: Marissa Paeste, one of the Social Workers of DSWD, hands down financial assistance to Diorico Family from Maya, MacArthur Leyte. Right: The Diorico Family who arrived at Matnog Port last November 25, 2013.

Yolanda victims crossing from Eastern Visayas to Bicol receive assistance from DSWD upon reaching Matnog Port in Sorsogon.

In responding to basic subsistence needs of affected individuals, the DSWD Reception, Recovery Processing Center (RRPC) is open almost 24 hours to provide counseling, psychosocial support for internally displaced persons (IDPs), relief distribution and financial assistance to those Yolanda survivors arriving at Matnog Port.

Herminia Diorico of Maya, MacArthur, Leyte together with six other members of her family left their house in full wreck, has reached Matnog Port last November 25 through a beaten-up tricycle. Her family received DSWD family food packs and a transportation assistance amounting to Php4, 800 and left Matnog last night.

“Gusto lang namin mapuntahan ang anak ko sa Silang, Cavite pero balak din namin na umuwi pag nakabalik na ang lahat sa normal,” she said.

DSWD provides counseling to assess their needs. Once families expressed that they have nowhere to go, DSWD in partnership with local government units (LGUs) will give them a temporary shelter. However, if they opt to be in a relative’s care and have no capacity to spend for their fare to travel, DSWD will also give them transportation assistance or refer them to the LGU or Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board’s “Libreng Sakay” to avail of the free fare.

On the other hand, Reymart Lagarto, a neighbor of Herminia, has also received Php800.00 from DSWD for his transportation going to Angeles, Pampanga to ask help from his sister.

DSWD prepared a holding area for the evacuees at Matnog specifically at Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Caloocan Barangay Council and Day Care Center. DSWD also takes them to Daraga Evacuation Center for further processing.

The Albay Public Safety & Emergency Management Office APSEMO has arranged with the LGUs of Camalig, Guinobatan and Libon to accommodate possible evacuees from Eastern Visayas in their respective evacuation centers.

The Crisis Intervention Section (CIS) of DSWD Field Office V in coordination with the Provincial Government of Albay (PGA) assist and validate the referred survivors of LGUs in the holding areas, evacuation centers and private residents.

The RRPC is part of DSWD’s continuous disaster response efforts in cooperation with the LGU of Matnog which has started its operation last November 20.

As of November 25, there were 21 families and 69 individuals who received aid from DSWD through the Public Assistance Desk.