CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Calabarzon reported Saturday that more than 9,000 families in the region have been affected by past tropical cyclones.
It said that 7,600 families are staying in 422 evacuation centers and their relatives throughout Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon provinces as of Sept. 26.
The DSWD said it continues to coordinate with affected local governments to determine their status and needs.
Affected families have received assistance worth P500,000, mostly family food packs, in partnership with local government units.
The DSWD assured continued assistance to affected local governments.
Meanwhile, Calabarzon Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council head Carlos Eduardo E. Alvarez III said the red alert status of the regional operations center will be deescalated to blue as tropical cyclone ‘’Opong’’ has left the country.
He said that continuous monitoring, assistance, and reporting of concerned LGUs and member-agencies are expected as decamping activities start on Saturday.
"We, in the Office of Civil Defense and Regional DRRM Council Calabarzon, extend our gratitude to all our Local DRRM Officers, staff, responders, and DRRM stakeholders for the invaluable services rendered to ensure safety of our communities considering the threat of tropical cyclone ‘Opong’ in the region," Alvarez said.
"I convey our sincerest appreciation to all our Provincial DRRMC chairpersons of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon for heeding our call for massive pre-emptive evacuation,’’ he added.
“Though we are spared with the direct impact of the typhoon, we stand in solidarity to those hardly-hit areas in Bicol and Mimaropa.”