The government is undertaking preparations for severe tropical storm “Mawar” as it moved toward the northern part of the country, particularly in the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions. (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office) Speaking at the Palace media briefing, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said that relief goods have already been prepositioned in the different parts of the country. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is monitoring the severe tropical storm, which may intensify and may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as a super typhoon before the weekend. “We have prepositioned goods … everywhere in the country,” Gatchalian told reporters on Tuesday, May 23. According to Gatchalian, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has worked with PAGASA on the “modeling that it seems going to affect Regions II, Regions I, all the way to Batanes.” He said that the department has augmented the stockpile of food packs in northern Luzon in preparation for the storm. “Right now, ang average kasi nila (their average) will be around 30 to 50,000 in those two regions, independently of each other. Naka-preposition na iyon (They have been prepositioned). But we are doubling it up. The goal here is to double it before the end of business tomorrow,” Gatchalian said, noting the mobilization of goods has started last weekend. DSWD field offices are currently working with the local government units for logistical support as the food packs will be in those areas. Gatchalian likewise assured that there is enough fund that could be utilized for disaster response and that the quick response fund (QRF) from the national government could be readily made available. “Remember in our quick response fund, part of it is preparedness, making sure that we are even before the storms come in. At DSWD, we have a full department doing disaster response,” the secretary said. “All year long, they do these types of stockpiling activities, identifying, and when I was signed up, we were talking about… we are trying to expand our warehouse system. That is what we are utilizing now, the warehouse system — the LGUs or (that of the) national government or (concerned) national government agencies,” he added.