LOOK INTO ROOT CAUSE OF DESPARATION ACTIONS, DSWD TOLD
ADDRESS CONCERNS OF DAVAO TYPHOON VICTIMS - CHIZ

Senator Chiz Escudero called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to immediately address the concerns of Davao residents who were victims of Typhoon Pablo after the ransacking of the DSWD's regional office early this morning.

"Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman should immediately look into the root cause of the desperate actions of the Davao residents to prevent the critical situation in the province from worsening," Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, said.

Escudero warned that the situation in Davao City has the potential of becoming a full blown humanitarian crisis if the agency continues to be slow in responding to the concerns of the typhoon victims.

An angry mob, apparently out of desperation, ransacked the DSWD regional office in Davao City and carted away relief goods intended for the typhoon victims. The protesters forcibly opened the gate at around 10:30 a.m. and looted sacks of pre-packed relief good and boxes of coffee and instant noodles.

Police arrived minutes later, when most of the relief goods had already been taken out of the DSWD compound. A riot erupted as the police tried to control the crowd.

Las Monday, some 3,000 protesters trooped to the DSWD office, and occupied the street in front of the agency's building.

Escudero said that the DSWD should have acted early on in arranging a dialogue with the protesters that could have preempted the riot and looting.

Reports said that some of those in the crowd even came from far-off provinces to protest the lack of government assistance on their plight after being hit by the typhoon.