More than 1.1 million individuals have already been affected due to Severe Tropical Storm “Pepito”, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Monday, Nov. 18, as government resources are quickly depleting but the United States government committed $1 million in urgent humanitarian aid.

Pepito’s combined impact with Typhoon “Nika” and Super Typhoon “Ofel” impacted 1,145,942 individuals (295,576 families) in Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), 4B (Mimaropa), 5 (Bicol), and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

“Our reporting for Nika, Ofel, and Pepito as agreed by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD); Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA); Department of Health (DOH); and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are combined, as these tropical cyclones (TCs) entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) consecutively which may cause that the effects of these TCs may overlap,” NDRRMC spokesperson Director Edgar Posadas said.

Of those affected, there were 685,971 displaced individuals who were staying in 2,717 evacuation centers.

So far, OCD officer in charge Asst. Sec. Cesar Idio said no fatality has been reported to the NDRRMC Operations Center.

Earlier, President Marcos Jr. said he was saddened to learn that there was a reported fatality in Camarines Norte but the OCD official said it was verified to be not typhoon-related. According to reports, a 76-year-old man died after being involved in a vehicular accident due to hanging internet cables along Bagabas Road in Daet, Camarines Norte.

“Based on our protocol, if the casualty – death, missing or injured – is not related to the disaster, in this case a typhoon, we don’t report it to avoid complicating our data. Right now, we have not received any casualty related to the typhoon,” Idio said in a press conference at the NDRRMC Operations Center in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Strained government resources

Although there were no casualties, the national government is not in a celebratory mood as its resources have been exhausted due to the string of storms that struck the country in the past month.

“It’s definitely strained the resources because of the parade of storms that passed through the country,” Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Disaster Response Management Bureau chief Director Michael Christopher Mathay said.

“But we are really trying our best and thank God we still have the resources and the funds,” he noted.

According to Mathay, the DSWD was able to download Quick Response Funds (QRFs) from the NDRRMC with the help of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

So far, the DSWD has a total standby fund and stockpile fund of P2.2 billion which includes P196 million in standby fund and 1,271,391 family food packs pre-positioned nationwide.

The OCD said that the government can ask for help from international partners to augment the resources needed for relief operations.

“I think given our limitations in our resources, we can tap or ask support from all concerned stakeholders, private [sector], international organizations, non-government organizations, and other countries. We have that existing protocols and we have been benefitting from that protocol already,” Idio said.

US Department of Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin III, who is in the country for a meeting with Department of National Defense (DND) Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr., said he authorized American forces to provide direct support to the Philippines in responding to Pepito.

"We've also secured another million dollars in urgent humanitarian aid and that will hep surge aid to the Philippine people. It's yet another reminder of the strength of our alliance," Austin said.

Typhoon's impact

Pepito was last located at 270 km west of Batac, Ilocos Norte as of 11 a.m. Monday.

Its maximum sustained winds near the center slightly weakened to 110 km/hour, but its gustiness remained at 135 km/hour. It was moving west, northwestward at a speed of 20 km/hour and is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday afternoon.

According to Idio, Pepito caused power interruption in Central Luzon (Region 3), particularly in Tarlac, Aurora, and Nueva Ecija. Central Luzon, according to the official, immediately needs stable internet connection for faster coordination of relief operations and charging stations.

“There was a flashflood earlier and we are verifying the reported breach of flood control dike in Sta. Monica, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija that resulted to floodwater flowing into Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija. How extensive is this? We are still verifying through our OCD regional office in Region 3,” Idio added.

In Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Idio said that the Magat Dam will open its gates so he reminded the local government and national government agencies involved to implement necessary measures to avoid any casualty by issuing prompt advisories to the public.

In Bicol (Region 5), Idio said two Black Hawk helicopters from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) flew to Catanduanes to bring relief items and conduct a rapid damage assessment and needs analysis (RDANA).

“The RDANA will determine the extent and degree of damage in the affected population and know what their immediate needs are,” he said.