President Luis Abinader announced a massive state contribution of RD$12 billion (approximately US$205 million) to assist communities, farmers, and businesses severely impacted by Tropical Storm Melissa in October 2025.
The funding aims not only to provide immediate relief but also to reactivate the economy and restore critical infrastructure across affected regions, fulfilling the government’s pledge to deliver timely and efficient aid.
The announcement followed a high-level monitoring meeting with Vice President Raquel Peña, ministers, directors, and mayors.
The comprehensive aid package includes several significant financial allocations:
• Agricultural sector: A substantial injection of RD$2 billion will be directed to the Agricultural Bank (Banco Agrícola). This capital will provide financing facilities for affected producers, ensuring the continuity of their operations. Direct grants will also be distributed to farmers who sustained crop losses.
•Rural infrastructure: The Ministry of Agriculture will assume responsibility for the repair and reconditioning of vital local roads (caminos vecinales), essential for rural mobility and the supply chain.
• Small businesses: RD$1.5 billion will be allocated to Promipymes to increase small loans and provide essential support to micro-entrepreneurs and small merchants impacted by the storm.
In a crucial move to expedite local relief efforts, the central government will distribute special, non-reimbursable contributions to municipal governments (ayuntamientos) in provinces that were under red alert during the storm. This measure mirrors previous support provided after similar atmospheric events.
Part of this aid is also earmarked to accelerate the sanitation of ravines (cañadas) by state water agencies (CAASD and INAPA), with a focus on areas posing the greatest risk to community safety.
Beyond financial aid, the President announced other key government actions:
• Public works: The Ministry of Public Works will resume its street asphalting program immediately.
• Education: The Ministry of Education is developing a plan to recover lost teaching hours due to the storm.
• Health preparedness: President Abinader assured that the relevant health authorities have taken necessary precautions to prevent and treat typical diseases that follow severe weather events.
In a positive note on the weather front, Gloria Ceballos, director of the Weather Institute (Indomet), reported that only sporadic and light rainfall is expected in the immediate future, unlikely to generate significant accumulation. However, she warned of a potential increase in precipitation starting next week due to an approaching trough (vaguada).
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Presidency
6 November 2025