DSWD ramps up disaster response ops for ‘Enteng’

MANILA: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday intensified its disaster response operations as Tropical Storm Enteng accelerates and continues to pummel Northern Luzon, an official of the agency's Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said. DRMG Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the agency has been giving augmentation support to the local governments units (LGUs) affected by the tropical storm enhanced by the southwest monsoon. 'Sa kasalukuyan, ongoing pa rin po ang isinasagawa natin na koordinasyon sa LGUs (As of now, coordination with local government units is ongoing) especially that Enteng is battering naman (again) the northern part of the country, Region 2 (Cagayan Valley),' Dumlao said during an interview over state-run Radyo Pilipinas. Based on the September 3 DSWD-Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication report, there are 219 families or 805 persons in the Cagayan Valley Region affected by the weather disturbance. T he DSWD Field Office 2-Cagayan Valley is closely coordinating with all Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Local Social Welfare and Development Office to monitor their respective areas of responsibility. 'Nationwide, meron tayong total stand by funds and stockpile na nagkakahalaga ng mahigit PHP2 billion at ang ating mga prepositioned goods ay nakahanda (Nationwide, we have total stand by funds and stockpile worth over PHP2 billion and our prepositioned goods are readied),' Dumlao said. She said as of September 2, the DSWD has responded to the requests for augmentation support from the LGUs in the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas. 'Ang atin pong mga natanggap na requests from the LGUs for augmentation support ay nasa mahigit 140,000 na FFPs [family food packs]… and ang DSWD ay nakapaghatid na ng support to these LGUs (The requests we received from the LGUs for augmentation support are about over 140,000 family food packs… and the DSWD had already se nt such support to these LGUs),' she said. To date, the DSWD maintains more than 1.73 million boxes of FFPs strategically prepositioned in the various warehouses in the country. Augmentation support The DSWD has so far distributed more than PHP16 million worth of augmentation support to local government units (LGUs) to help them meet the needs of their constituents who were affected by Tropical Storm Enteng. 'Our disaster response operations are still ongoing, but we have already sent as of September 3, over PHP16 million worth of assistance as part of our resource augmentation to the affected localities,' Dumlao said in a report. The DSWD's humanitarian aid covers food and non-food items that was provided to the affected population in the National Capital Region (NCR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, the Bicol Region, and Central and Eastern Visayas. Dumlao said the agency's Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) remains on high alert as it coordinates with the vari ous Field Offices, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (NDRRMOC), and other concerned agencies to ensure unhampered response and swift assistance. She said relief supplies are in place in Northern Luzon and Cagayan Valley, which are now being severely affected by the weather disturbance. Based on the Sept. 3 report of the DSWD's Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication (DROMIC), a total of 80,078 families or 303,938 persons in 767 barangays in the National Capital Region (NCR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas have been affected by the tropical storm. There are 14,607 families or 60,202 persons currently taking temporary shelter in 441 evacuation centers in the affected regions. DSWD chief visits Calabarzon Meanwhile, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian visited the 107 families or 369 individuals who are currently staying in an evacuation center at the Jesus S. C abarus Elementary School in Barangay San Jose, Antipolo City. He oversaw the distribution of family food packs and PHP10,000 financial aid, through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), to each of the evacuees. The DSWD chief was joined by Rizal Governor Nina Ynares, Agimat Partylist Rep. Bryan Revilla, and Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares. Gatchalian also met with officials of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) in San Pedro, Laguna where he received updates on the ongoing disaster response operations in the province. The DSWD chief checked on the status of affected families and evacuees in the municipality, as well as the number of FFPs that were already distributed to communities severely impacted by Enteng. Also present in the meeting were Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Asst. Secretary Rolando Puno, San Pedro Mayor Art Mercado and other DSWD officials. (Jose Cielito Reganit/PNA) Army mounts rescue ops A disaster response team from th e 16th Infantry Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Division helped families affected by 'Enteng' in Labo, Camarines Norte on Monday, the Philippine Army (PA) said in a news release Tuesday. Another disaster response team from the 1st Infantry Battalion under the 202nd Infantry Brigade evacuated a pregnant woman from Barangay Sinag-Tala, Mabitac, Laguna. Meanwhile, the PA's 2nd Regional Community Defense Group of the Reserve Command readied its disaster personnel and equipment for possible deployment in the Cagayan Valley amid the threat posed by the typhoon. The disaster response team from the 84th Infantry Battalion, 7th Infantry Division also assisted flood victims in Barangay Santo Tomas and other flooded areas in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija. Affected roads The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said three road sections were affected by bad weather due to 'Enteng'. Citing the report of the agency's Bureau of Maintenance, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan one road section in Central Luzon remains clo sed while two roads in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Central Luzon have limited access due to floods as of Tuesday noon. He said a portion of Nueva Ecija-Aurora Road in Barangay Labi, Bongabon, Nueva Ecija is still closed to traffic. Motorists have been advised to take Rizal - Pantabangan Road as an alternative route until floods along the road section have subsided. Meanwhile, only heavy vehicles are allowed to take the Sumulong Highway fronting S and R in Marikina City, and EPZA By-Pass (Baraso Country Road) in Barangay Baseco, Mariveles, Bataan as both are still flooded. Bonoan said disaster and incident management teams in the affected regional and district engineering offices have been mobilized and that 1,731 pieces of equipment and 7,105 personnel have been prepositioned. The agency's quick response teams have also installed warning signs and traffic devices along the affected road sections. Bonoan said nine road sections have been cleared and reopened by the DPWH since Monday in the Cord illera, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Bicol and Eastern Visayas. Source: Philippines News Agency