As Typhoon ‘Karen’ continues to batter more areas in Luzon, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) extends augmentation support in regions affected by the inclement weather.

Since yesterday, October 15, the DSWD field office (FO) in Region IV-A, already transported 800 family food packs (FFPs) for distribution to affected families in Infanta, Quezon. This is in addition to the 5,000 FFPs and 1,000 pieces of malong already picked up by the Provincial Government of Quezon.

Today, additional 200 FFPs will be delivered to Infanta, 600 FFPs in Real, and 1,000 in General Nakar in Quezon Province.

In Region II, a total of 2,820 prepositioned FFPs from DSWD FO-II and the Provincial Government of Isabela is ready for augmentation for the municipalities of Dinapigue, Palanan, Maconacon, Divilacan and Benito Soliven.

Repacking of FFPs is ongoing in all DSWD regional offices that have less than 30,000 available FFPs.

Status of affected persons

In the latest 2AM 16 October bulletin of the DSWD Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC), 2,005 families or 10,250 persons are affected by the typhoon in 76 barangays in Regions II, III, IV-A and V, of which 1,745 families or 8,242 persons are staying in 107 evacuation centers.

Aside from the affected families, the DSWD FO-V reports that there are 1,357 passengers stranded in the several ports in Bicol.

The local governments of Pilar, Sorsogon and Pasacao, Camarines Sur have already provided assistance to the strandees in the form of hot meals.

Meanwhile, DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo already directed all DSWD disaster response units to remain on standby and maintain their close coordination with LGUs and concerned agencies.

She also urged the public to remain vigilant and to help each other since another typhoon is expected to hit the country.

“As much as we want to assist everyone affected by the typhoon, we admit that the Department cannot do it alone. We need everyone’s cooperation. We need the help of volunteers, LGUs, non-government organizations, and other agencies. We need the collective action of everyone so that we can reach more people in need,” she said. #