Zamboanga City (December 27) -- The city government is now in the final stage of the release of cash assistance and other relief goods to the over 2, 000 families displaced by the November 27 storm surge.

On orders of Mayor Celso Lobregat, personnel from the City Social Welfare Office, Land Housing and Management Division, City Engineer's Office, City General Service Office, City Treasurer's Office and other agencies concerned have been rendering overtime services to complete the necessary documents and data as well as the distribution of the assistance to the victims.

City Social Welfare Officer Francisco Barredo said 99 percent of the total 2,120 displaced families with 10,019 dependents have been fully assisted as of yesterday afternoon. The one percent comprises of names under the Campo Islam and Rio Hondo lists and is undergoing final changes and revisions.

"The release of the assistance to all the victims will be completed before the end of this week", Barredo said.

Records from the City Treasurer's Office (CTO) show that several millions of pesos have been spent for all the assistance provided as a result of the storm surge last November 27 that affected 15 coastal villages in the west coast and island barangays.

According to Barredo, all evacuation centers set up to temporarily house the families affected at the height of the storm surge have been cleared after the release of the cash assistance.

Families whose houses were totally destroyed received P5, 000 each while families whose houses were partially destroyed got P3,000 each. Renters or sharers received P1,500 each.

Upon receipt of the cash assistance, the families affected have signed a waiver, pledging that they will not reconstruct their houses along the shorelines and that they will not seek additional assistance from the city government.