President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has instructed Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian to focus on the early recovery and rehabilitation of families and individuals severely affected by Super Typhoon Egay and the enhanced Southwest monsoon.

Secretary Gatchalian, who spent the entire Friday (July 28) personally inspecting and assessing the aftermath of Typhoon Egay in Ilocos Norte and Cagayan provinces vowed to continue providing the much needed assistance in the areas affected by ST Egay.

“The heavy rainfall brought about by Egay was unprecedented, causing massive flooding in many parts of the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions,” the DSWD chief noted.

According to the state weather bureau PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), Typhoon Egay dumped more than a month’s rain in its two Ilocos stations located in Laoag City in Ilocos Norte and Sinait town in Ilocos Sur.

“In 48 hours, between 8:00 a.m. Tuesday and and 8:00 a.m. Thursday, Laoag City recorded 620 millimeters of rain, more than the station’s average July rainfall of 478.9 millimeters. Sinait station registered 578.1 mm of precipitation, also more than its monthly normal of 529.8 millimeters for July,” PAGASA reported.

Between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning, Egay also dumped almost a month’s worth of rain in Aparri, Cagayan at 194 millimeters, according to PAGASA.

Widespread flooding was observed in several towns in northwestern mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Abra, and Ilocos Sur, while multiple landslides hit Mountain Province and Benguet in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

In line with the President’s directive to assess the damage in the areas affected by Typhoon Egay, Secretary Gatchalian ordered the DSWD Regional Directors to ensure the swift and unhampered delivery of assistance and services to affected families and individuals.

“Part of the President’s instruction is for the DSWD to enable the early recovery and rehabilitation of affected families and individuals through the provision of emergency cash transfer (ECT) and cash-for-work (CFW), which will start soon,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.

The DSWD chief said the cash-for-work can run for 30-45 days and will provide alternative livelihood to typhoon-affected residents as part of their early recovery and rehabilitation after the calamity.

“Ang initial salvo is family food packs. Ang instruction ng Pangulo, walang residente na apektado ang dapat magutom pero hindi dyan nag wawakas ang instruction ng ating Pangulo. Nag- instruct din siya na simulan na namin ang aming financial assistance para makabangon muli ang ating mga residente, para yung mga naantala yung hanap buhay ay maiayos muli yung kanilang mga kabuhayan. Yung mga nasira ang nga bahay, maiaayos muli ang kanilang mga bahay,” Secretary Gatchalian explained.

The Social Welfare chief has also instructed the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) to replenish the prepositioned food supplies as soon as possible in anticipation of another brewing typhoon which will be named “Falcon” once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) next week.

“As we continue to assist those affected by recent weather disruptions, we should also prepare for possible new calamities brought by the forthcoming typhoon,” Secretary Gatchalian said.

Data from the DSWD-Disaster Response and Management Bureau  (DRMB) indicated that as of this date, some Php2.1 billion worth of food and non-food items such as hygiene and sleeping kits have been prepositioned in various DSWD warehouses all over the country.#