‘Isang’ onslaught affects Bicol, Cagayan

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Sunday it has extended aid to the local government of Guinobatan, Albay, following a preemptive evacuation order due to heavy rainfall from several weather systems.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group said the agency’s Field Office-5 (Bicol Region) is in contact with local officials to ensure sufficient relief is available for evacuees.

“With the help of the concerned LGU, our mobile kitchen was able to provide hot meals to 643 families or 1,931 individuals currently staying in Guinobatan Community College and Mauraro High School,” said Dumlao, who also serves as the DSWD’s spokesperson.

She added that the evacuees included residents from 10 barangays in Cagayan Valley.

On 22 August, the DSWD Bicol Field Office assisted the Guinobatan LGU in profiling and validating evacuees, as well as providing technical support for Camp Coordination and Camp Management and the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons.

Dumlao said Field Office-5 also deployed its mobile kitchen to provide meals and distributed more than P1.6 million in aid to affected families.

The DSWD also set up child-friendly spaces at evacuation centers to help children cope with their temporary living conditions.

The spaces are equipped with books, toys and other learning materials to help reduce anxiety and fear.

“As instructed by Secretary Rex Gatchalian, we have prepositioned family food packs ready for release in all affected localities to guarantee the omnipresence of the DSWD in times of disasters,” Dumlao said.

“This is also in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure that no family will be hungry during any emergency situation or calamity,” she added.

Meanwhile, the DSWD reported that at least 3,627 families, or 13,886 individuals, were affected by tropical storm "Isang," which exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday morning.