MANILA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government has distributed food packs and cash aid to 583 families displaced by severe flooding at Calumpit, a town in Bulacan Province, as heavy rains from tropical cyclones and the monsoon continue to soak the country, local media reported on Friday.
Each qualified household received 10,000 pesos in emergency cash assistance, along with relief goods. Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the distribution on Thursday at two evacuation centers in the municipality, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The aid would help meet the daily needs of evacuees, with coordination ongoing between the municipal government and the national social welfare agency to ensure continued support for affected families, according to the reports.
More than 5 million people across the Philippines have suffered from extreme rainfall brought by tropical cyclones and monsoon rains, with severe flooding hitting Luzon and other regions. Bulacan is among the hardest-hit areas. ■