Tanauan, Leyte (February 8) -- Tanauan Mayor Roque Tiu cited government agencies and the Sangguniang Bayan of Tanauan for immediately coming to the succor of the families who were rendered homeless when big waves washed out their houses in the afternoon of Saturday, February 7, 2009.

Mayor Tiu bared that no less than the Regional Director of the Department of Health in the Region, Dr. Edgardo Gonzaga, called him up on Sunday to inform that he and the DOH team are at Barangay San Roque in Tanauan to assess the health needs of the victims who are currently staying at the San Roque Elementary School.

After assessing the needs, the Health team will come back to Tanauan on Monday and confer with the Municipal Health Officer, Dr. Gonzaga told Mayor Tiu in their meeting in Tanauan.

Further, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Regional Office 8 headed by Director Letecia Corillo, made good its promise and sent blankets, clothings and family food packs to the victims, Mayor Tiu said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Tiu thanked Vice Mayor Agapito Pagayanan,Jr.and the members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Tanauan for holding a special session on Sunday to allocate a P5,000.00 financial assistance to the victims.

The cash assistance is needed by the victims so that they can start constructing their new houses, Mayor Tiu said. He added that the financial assistance will be given to the victims after proper validation, on Monday.

It is good that the victims were able to save some of their belongings, Mayor Tiu said. Several of them were able to save even their food. With the family food packs from the Provincial Government of Leyte, at least the victims are assured of food that will last them for a few days, Mayor Tiu added.

Big waves hit the coastal barangay of San Roque in Tanauan at 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon of Saturday and started washing up the houses near the shoreline at 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon.

It was observed that continuous heavy rains was experienced by the province of Leyte since Friday, flooding many streets in Tacloban City and several municipalities of Leyte. (PIA 8)