Cabinet Secretaries Visit Davao Occidental Town Hit by Calamities, Pledge Aid

Jose Abad Santos town in Davao Occidental, Philippines, has been grappling with a succession of natural calamities, including landslides and flash floods, over the past month. In response, several cabinet secretaries visited the municipality to assess the damage and pledge support. Mayor Jason John Joyce of Jose Abad Santos town reported that an initial assessment indicates damage to 39 schools and 445 classrooms. Following this, a delegation including Secretary Vince Dizon of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Secretary Sonny Angara of the Department of Education (DepEd), Secretary Rex Gatchalian of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos visited the affected areas. Since June 8, various locations in Jose Abad Santos have been hit by landslides and flash floods. These include the bridge at Tanuman Big, roads in Sugal, Kalbay, and Cayaponga, as well as a section of the seaside road along the Trinidad Wall. The Trinidad Wall, a part of the unfinished Cayaponga–Malalan–Sarangani coastal road, which is frequently endangered by heavy rainfall, will be featured in the local government unit's formal report and recommendations to the DPWH. The delegation also visited ground zero in Kibatang and evacuation centers in Sitio Kalanasan, Barangay Sugal, as well as those in Barangay Nuing and Barangay Butulan. At Sitio Kalanasan, displaced families received food assistance from the DSWD. A total of 437 individuals, representing 164 families, benefited from this aid. Meanwhile, residents in Barangay Sugal are concerned about the accumulation of rainwater uphill from Sitio Kibatang. Barangay Captain Gerardo Castro IV stated that debris has formed a dam approximately 2 kilometers uphill, posing a risk of flash floods. He also mentioned the ongoing search for a missing person with a disability who was swept away by a river on July 14, losing their home to a flash flood. The Philippines has been experiencing increasingly frequent extreme weather events, often attributed to climate change. These events disproportionately affect areas with vulnerable infrastructure. The visit by cabinet secretaries signifies the national government's attention to the plight of the affected LGUs, but underscores the need for long-term recovery plans and enhanced disaster preparedness measures.