DSWD intensifies preparations as Chedeng weakens

MANILA, Philippines – As Typhoon Chedeng (international name: Maysak) approaches land, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assures the public that its disaster teams remain ready and alert to provide support to affected local government units.

“I have instructed all Field Offices along Typhoon Chedeng’s path to intensify their preparations to ensure the safety and well-being of families that will be affected,” DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said. 

Chedeng is expected to make landfall over the coast of the Aurora-Isabela area Sunday morning, April 5, according to the 5 pm bulletin of state weather bureau PAGASA.

All field offices along Typhoon Chedeng’s path are ready to assist areas in relief operations and management of evacuation centers.

Teams are on standby and remain to be on duty 24/7 to also implement pre-emptive evacuation plans and respond to other needs for an estimated 5 million families that will be affected by the typhoon.

Food packs ready

As part of the “strengthened government initiatives,” the department continues to preposition goods such as rice, to cities and municipalities, particularly to coastal communities and areas not easily accessible. 

According to the DSWD, they’ve already prepositioned 309,121 family food packs amounting to P106.6 million.

Around 28,000 family food packs have been prepositioned by the Region 1 office to different areas in the provinces of Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte.

Meanwhile, the DSWD-Field Office in Region 2 set aside 14,215 food packs for Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya. Coastal Isabela municipalities of Maconacon, Divilican, and Palanan also received relief goods for stockpiling.

LGUs in Aurora and Pampanga received 3,180 food packs from the Central Luzon field office, while the Southern Luzon field office prepositioned 4,000 food packs in Laguna, Rizal, and Batangas.

The DSWD-Field Office in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) prepositioned 2,000 food packs each to Kalinga and Abra, while DSWD-Field Office V provided 1,200 food packs to Catanduanes. (READ: Catanduanes, Camsur ‘ready and on high alert’ for Chedeng)

In addition, the welfare department said they are in close coordination with the Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for transportation needs to “ensure the speedy movement of relief augmentation.”

Continue to be alert

Soliman also appeals for the public to do their part despite weather reports saying Chedeng has weakened.

According to the secretary, those who are residing in areas expected to be affected should continue monitoring and preparation as the typhoon is still expected to cause damage due to heavy rains and wind. 

“We ask the public, especially, those in areas along the typhoon path to continue preparing,” she said. “It is highly advisable that the people act with extreme caution, especially in areas that are expected to be hardest-hit like the provinces of Isabela and Aurora.” – Rappler.com