Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Sunday (July 16) directed all regional directors in Luzon to closely coordinate with local government units (LGUs) officials for the distribution of relief goods in the aftermath of Tropical Depression Dodong.

“Kindly make sure to link up with your governors and tell them if they need help with evacuation. We can send over FFPs (family food packs). I’m seeing in the news isolated evacuations everywhere,” the DSWD chief told the regional directors.

Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that DSWD regional directors must be proactive in calling their respective governors, mayors and congressmen and offer to them delivery of FFPs in areas where there are evacuees.

Central Luzon Regional Director Jonathan Dirain told the DSWD chief that Field Office-3 has already coordinated with the provincial government of Bulacan for FFPs dispatch.

“We will be sending FFPs to the evacuation center (in Bulacan) kahit wala pa po silang request,” Director Dirain reported to Secretary Gatchalian.

Among the areas affected by TD Dodong were the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya (Region 2-Cagayan Valley); Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet (Cordillera Administrative Region); Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the northern portion of Pangasinan (Region 1-Ilocos Region); and the northern and central portions of Aurora (Region 3- Central Luzon)#