September 25, 2023

Some 2,651 residents in Abra and Apayao affected by Typhoon Egay received P22 million worth of assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment-Cordillera.

DOLE-Cordillera Director Nathaniel Lacambra said the amount came from the agency’s contingency fund.

“We extended assistance to 2,400 families under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers assistance of the department in Abra, while there were 251 in Apayao aided through the same program,” said Lacambra, adding in Abra alone, 3,300 houses were damaged by the typhoon.

“We have exhausted our P22M contingency fund but we were promised by our central office that they will immediately replenish the fund,” he added.

Apart from the contingency fund, affected residents can also expect help from other agencies and through other DOLE assistance programs, said Lacambra.

He added they have instructed other local government units in need of assistance to submit a request so the DOLE regional office could ask the central office for possible funding.

Aside from Abra and Apayao declaring a state of calamity due to the damage, Mountain Province, Benguet, Kalinga, and Baguio City have also been placed under a state of calamity. – PNA