MANILA, Philippines – With Typhoon Vinta expected to cross over northern Luzon on Thursday, October 31, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned relief goods in areas where the Typhoon will pass.
Secretary Dinky Soliman said the agency is in touch with local government officials to ensure that relief goods are ready for dispatch to the affected areas.
“We already prepositioned 6,680 family food packs worth P1.67 million to the provinces of Abra (850 food packs), Mt. Province (950), Kalinga (1,030), Ifugao (400), Apayao (1,450) and DSWD Field Office in Baguio City (2,000) for augmentation to areas that may be affected by the typhoon,” Secretary Soliman said.
The Department has also affected its Quick Response Teams (QRTs) and Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Teams in Region 1 and in Cagayan Province.
Secretary Soliman has at her disposal an average of P500 million in quick release funds to use in case of disasters and calamities. A portion of this fund went to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Zamboanga City and the Bohol and Cebu evacuees due to a strong earthquake the struck on October 15.
As of 11am of October 31, Vinta was located at 200 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 150 km/h, according to state weather bureau PAGASA. – Rappler.com
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