The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) extended relief supplies, including 4,320 family food packs (FFPs); 400 pieces of 20-liter bottled water; and 3,944 small bottled mineral water from Maynilad; and laminated sacks, to Catanduanes after it was devastated by super typhoon “Rolly.”

DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista flew to the typhoon-stricken Catanduanes to personally hand over the family food packs to residents of Barangay Francia in the municipality of Virac.

He then flew to one of the barangays of Bato municipality via Air Force helicopter to distribute family food packs. He was accompanied by Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua.

“With the assistance of the Office of the Civil Defense and the Philippine Air Force (PAF), the Secretary initially brought 1,320 FFPs as resource augmentation assistance to the provincial government,” the DSWD said in a statement Tuesday night.

The DSWD said a C295 aircraft carrying 3,000 family food packs and 80 pieces of laminated sacks was scheduled to fly Nov. 4 to Catanduanes.

“At present, DSWD-Field Office V, in coordination with the provincial government, is conducting Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment to determine exact damage brought about by the disaster and to identify appropriate interventions that will be provided to the affected families to help them further cope with their difficult situation,” it said.

“One intervention being considered is the conduct of Food-forWork.”

Mobile phone signals back

As this developed, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Wednesday that Smart Communications have already restored cellular signal in Virac, Catanduanes.

“For information po, may portion na daw po ng Virac na nagkaroon na ng signal ang Smart (There are portions of Virac that now have Smart signal) as confirmed by OCD ETC (Office of Civil Defense Emergency Telecommunications) team na nasa (in the) capitol. Around 8 a.m., may mga incoming messages na daw nareceive 'yung mobile phone ng mga uniformed personnel na kasama nila sa (there were incoming messages received by some uniformed personnel who are with them in the) capitol,” NDRRMC spokesman Mark Timbal said in a message to reporters.

He added that outgoing calls and text messages using Smart are already functional but mobile data signal remains intermittent in these areas.

Timbal also said cellular signal from Globe Telecom has also been restored in these areas.

Relief supplies for Bicol

BRP Gabriela Silang, the biggest ship of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), was scheduled to leave Manila at 3 p.m. Wednesday for Bicol to bring food packs and other supplies to communities badly affected by Rolly.

“BRP Gabriela Silang is now ready to leave Manila for Bicol to bring relief supplies to our fellowmen affected by typhoon ‘Rolly’,” Admiral George Ursabia Jr., Coast Guard commandant said.

Ursabia added the ship is loaded with around 3,000 boxes of food packs, around 4,000 bottles of purified drinking water, and additional 400 gallons of mineral water, 2,000 boxes of kitchen kits, 1,000 boxes of hygiene kits, 450 pieces of sleeping kits, and 450 pieces of mosquito nets from the DSWD.

The PCG and PCG Auxiliary also added 870 boxes of food packs, 70 sacks of rice, one unit portable generator, and two “balikbayan” (returning Filipino) boxes of other essential supplies.

BRP Gabriela Silang came from Bacolod City where it took shelter during the onslaught of Rolly over the weekend.

₱5.3-M assistance

Meanwhile, the DSWD reported that as of 6 p.m. Tuesday, more than ₱5.3 million worth of assistance has been extended to affected areas in the National Capital Region, Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, and Bicol.

Through its National Resource Operations Center, the DSWD said around 2,300 FFPs have been delivered in the regional warehouse of Field Office III (Central Luzon), while 1,700 FFPs have been given to Fort Magsaysay Hub Satellite Warehouse.

It noted that DSWD FO III also provided relief augmentation composed of 200 hygiene kits, 200 sleeping kits, and 200 family kits in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

There is also an ongoing hauling of 1,000 FFPs to Calumpit, Bulacan and 1,000 FFPs to Masantol, Pampanga, it added.

“DSWD assured that the Department has sufficient resources to sustain its ongoing disaster operations for Typhoon Rolly with more than ₱877 million stockpile and standby funds ready to be used,” it said.

The DSWD assured the public that there has been continuous repacking of relief goods and it has been closely coordinating with the local government units in anticipation of Tropical Storm “Siony” which is likely to intensify further. (With a report from PNA)