LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol recorded 495 families or 2,462 persons affected by tropical storm “Crising.”
In a phone interview, Claudio Villareal, chief of the DSWD-5 Disaster Response Management Division, said affected individuals were from 21 barangays in Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, and Masbate.
Villareal added that there are 11 families or 42 persons displaced in these provinces.
“Nine families or 33 persons are currently taking temporary shelter in two evacuation centers in Masbate province while two families or nine persons are temporarily staying with their relatives or friends,” he said.
Villareal said DSWD's preparedness measures include the prepositioning of food and non-food relief items in strategic locations, activation of logistics plans, and rapid deployment capabilities.
“Two mobile kitchens, a Mobile Command Center, and water filtration units are now on standby and ready to be deployed immediately to affected areas as needed — ensuring fast and efficient on-ground support for displaced and vulnerable communities,” he added.
Villareal said at least 34 local governments unit in the region suspended classes.
“Through our Regional Director Norman Laurio, we continue to strengthen coordination with local government units (LGUs) across various areas to mitigate the impact of the typhoon through early, organized, and coordinated action,” he said.
DSWD-5 has a standby 254,192 family food packs in various warehouses in the region as part of the preparations for Crising.
“The total worth of all available relief resources has reached P273 million, including food items ready for distribution,” Laurio said. (PNA)