The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office-2 (Cagayan Valley) continues to be on high alert status as Typhoon Goring intensified into a Super Typhoon, according to the state weather bureau PAGASA, and is now bringing heavy rains over the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela.

In her latest report Sunday (August 27) to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Cagayan Valley Regional Director Lucia Alan said 367 families or 1,219 individuals from 24 barangays in the two provinces were affected by ST Goring.

“Of this number, 138 families or 468 individuals were displaced. There are also 26 open evacuation centers sheltering affected families in the whole Cagayan Valley Region,” Regional Director Alan told the DSWD chief.

Director Alan said the evacuees were mostly individuals residing in coastal areas.

“We continue to be vigilant and on high alert status to extend assistance to the LGUs, “ Director Alan reported to Secretary Gatchalian.

As of Saturday (Aug. 26), more than 70,000 family food packs (FFPs) have been made available by the Cagayan Valley Field Office with over 40,000 already prepositioned to the LGUs especially in coastal towns.

As the typhoon continues to batter the region, Director Alan said the field office (FO) has not received reports of casualties, damaged houses, or stranded  individuals, as of press time.

The DSWD FO-2 has earlier prepositioned a total of 9,778 FFPs in the island province of Batanes broken down as follows: Basco – 1,306 FFPs; Itbayat – 1,322; Ivana – 1,100; Mahatao – 1,094; Sabtang – 1,203; and Uyugan – 1,167 for a total of 7,700 FFPs. An additional 2,078 food packs were also sent to the Batanes provincial capitol.

Director Alan on Friday (Aug. 25) reported to the Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) that FO-2 has also prepositioned FFPs to Isabela province coastal municipalities of Divilacan with 1,000 boxes of FFPs; Maconacon with 154; and Palanan with 500.

“For Calayan Island, we have prepositioned 2,900 FFPs while 150 FFPs were sent to Barangay Fuga of Aparri, Cagayan. An additional 1,246 food packs were also sent through boat to Isabela province,” Director Alan reported.

Secretary Gatchalian on Tuesday (Aug. 24) ordered concerned DSWD regional directors to beef up their stockpile of food packs in anticipation of TS Goring. #