The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and its field offices (FOs) are now doing preparatory measures for the possible effects of Typhoon ‘Ferdie’ in the country.
At present, the Department has a total of P862,952,425.85 standby funds and has prepositioned a total of 469,912 family food packs in strategic locations around the country.
In Region II where the typhoon continues to batter the province of Batanes, the DSWD FO-II and its Disaster Management Response Teams (DMRT) already conducted its Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) with other disaster agencies to discuss their plan of action.
In addition, the field office has delivered 350 sacks of NFA rice to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) of Batanes.
DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo called on all DSWD FOs to continue other preparatory activities such as repacking of relief goods, replenishment of prepositioned food packs to local governments, warehouse assessment, and identification of relief hubs.
Meantime, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad assured the public that his offices and all member agencies are ready to respond to any untoward incident that may result due to the effects of the weather disturbance.
Based on the latest weather update issued by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, ‘Ferdie’ (International name: Meranti), is now threatening Batanes and Babuyan Group of Islands. (With a report from Francis T. Wakefield)