Government relief operations escalated in Central Visayas Friday following the devastation wrought by typhoon “Tino” on 4 November, while officials in Northern Luzon began preparing for the expected arrival of another strong weather disturbance, “Uwan,” internationally named Fung-Wong.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assured affected residents in Cebu that sufficient relief assistance is available and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian gave the assurance during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s visit to an evacuation center in Liloan, one of the towns severely affected by the typhoon.

Gatchalian noted the agency has a repacking center in Cebu where operations continue to augment existing stockpiles.

The DSWD has already distributed 69,000 family food packs to various local government units (LGUs), including Cebu City, Mandaue and Talisay, and targets distributing 200,000 family food packs by Saturday.

In addition to food packs, the DSWD will provide cash assistance to households with partially or totally damaged homes based on ongoing assessments.

Gatchalian added the agency maintains a nationwide stockpile of two million family food packs for rapid deployment.

To recall, Marcos visited various evacuation centers and inspected infrastructure damage, including the Mananga Bridge along the Cebu South Coastal Road. One lane of the vital 1983-built bridge remains closed after sustaining cracks and flood-related damage.

In Talisay City, the President visited the Talisay Sports Academy Center, which currently shelters 276 families, or 1,110 individuals.

Also, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) Regional Office VII mobilized a rapid response team to assess damage to businesses and identify displaced workers.

Regional director Atty. Roy L. Buenafe said initial data gathered by the Cebu Provincial Field Office showed severe impacts in Danao City, with 300 affected establishments; Compostela, with 130; and Liloan, with 65.

Buenafe said the department is extending assistance to other affected areas, saying, “Beyond the numbers, it is the people who matter — the workers who have lost their livelihoods.”

Meantime, the Supreme Court (SC) authorized the suspension of court work in several Cebu jurisdictions Friday to allow staff to recover. All courts in Danao City and the municipalities of Catmon and Poro suspended operations.

Court work was also halted in several judicial branches in Mandaue City due to power interruption, though a skeleton workforce was required to handle urgent matters.

Meanwhile, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu Chapter is appealing for donations to assist devastated communities, seeking both cash and in-kind goods like food, water and clothing.

In other developments, all Disaster Risk Reduction and Management offices and councils in the Cordillera Region are on high alert days before the expected landfall of tropical storm “Uwan,” or Fung-Wong.

In a proactive move, Mayor Bernard S. Waclin of Itogon, Benguet ordered the immediate suspension of all underground small-scale mining operations, including quarrying and gold panning along river systems.

This preemptive suspension aims to secure the safety of residents in landslide-prone areas, a critical concern given the history of fatal landslides in Itogon during past major typhoons.