The Municipality of Tarragona in Davao Oriental has been placed under a state of calamity following the October 10 earthquake, but Mayor Art Benjie Bulaong said the local government continues to help residents recover.
All 10 barangays were affected, with over 10,000 families now staying in evacuation centers.
Bulaong said residents will not be forced to return home while they remain traumatized and aftershocks persist. He thanked the Department of Social Welfare and Development for providing food assistance and expressed relief that power and water services remain stable.
The mayor assured constituents that the local government, with help from national agencies, is working tirelessly to meet their needs. “Keep praying and trust that your local government is doing its best to provide for you,” he said.
