Families and individuals in Northern and Central Luzon drenched by the effects of Typhoon “Bising” and the southwest monsoon or “habagat” have so far received PHP719,187 in relief assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), an agency official reported on Tuesday.
In a statement, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the amount covers the 1,068 family food packs (FFPs) and emergency kits that were swiftly delivered to Bising-hit local government units (LGUs) since last week, particularly in areas hit by intense rains, flooding, and landslide incidents.
“Even when Bising was still a low-pressure area, we assured our LGUs that we will support their relief efforts, especially in areas forecast to bear the brunt of the weather disturbance. And that’s exactly what or disaster response teams did. We ensured that affected families were provided prompt assistance in line with the directives of our President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,” the DSWD spokesperson said.
As of 6 a.m. on Tuesday, a total of 30,683 families or 95,910 persons in 61 barangays in Regions 1 (Ilocos Region), 3 (Central Luzon), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) have been affected, according to the Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication (DROMIC).
“In Region 3, where various areas were submerged with flood waters, the DSWD-Central Luzon facilitated the distribution of 225 FFPs to Bising-hit families in the city of Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija,” Dumlao said.
She said the DSWD has already started relief distribution in Ilocos Region since July 5, reaching disaster-hit families in the towns of Narvacan, Sta. Maria, and the city of Vigan in Ilocos Sur.
“Rest assured that we continuously monitor the affected communities with the help of concerned LGUs. Our supplies are also sufficient across the affected regions,” she added.
The agency’s Field Offices in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, and CAR maintain a total of 493,457 FFPs and PHP9 million in stand-by funds. (PNA)