The government has mobilized resources, including more than P1-billion worth of standby funds and relief aid, to assist communities affected the heavy monsoon rains in some parts of the country.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government continued to monitor the situation and assured that disaster relief efforts have been initiated.
"We are closely monitoring the weather situation, especially flood-prone and landslide-prone areas, where heavy rainfall warning brought by the southwest monsoon has been raised," Roque said in a statement Saturday.
He said the Department of Social Welfare and Development has readied standby fund amounting P849.5 million as well as prepared relief goods worth P169.18 million. Other food and non-food items amounting to P676.5 million have also been readied.
"These are readily available to augment the resources of the local government units," Roque said.
"As to assistance provided, the LGUs have initially extended assistance to affected families in Orion and Samal, Bataan, San Antonio, Zambales and in Balbalan, Kalinga," he added.
Citing a report from National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) as of 10 a.m. Saturday, Roque said 3,316 families have been evacuated, including 3,077 families in Marikina.
He said power supply has been restored in six out of the 10 cities and municipalities that earlier experienced outage.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has also started its clearing operations in Barangay Sta Rosa in Alaminos in Laguna and Igdalaquit in Tobias Fornier, Antique. Road clearing operations have also been initiated in several areas in Occidental Mindoro, Antique, and Benguet.
"We ask residents of affected areas to remain alert and vigilant, take precautionary measures, and cooperate with their respective local authorities in case of an evacuation," Roque said.