DSWD Sec.Judy M. Taguiwalo shows a check to Pres. Rodrigo Duterte during the ceremonial turn over of checks to beneficiaries of Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) in Batanes yesterday while DSWD Disaster Emergency Response Management Bureau (DREaMB) Director Felino O. Castro V looks on.

True to the current administration’s slogan, “Tapang at Tunay na Malasakit”, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo flew yesterday to the typhoon ravaged municipalities of Batanes to personally see the condition of the people affected by Typhoon Ferdie.

Batanes was the hardest hit province when ‘Ferdie’, followed by  Typhoon Helen,  struck the country almost a month ago.

Pres. Duterte acknowledged the immediate move of the DSWD in its disaster response and released, during the ceremonial turn over,   some 20 Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) checks for  families whose houses were totally damaged in the municipalities of Basco, Mahatao, Ivana, Uyugan and Sabtang.

Later in the day,  DSWD-Field Office II staff released all checks for all the ESA beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, DSWD and its Field Offices along the path of Typhoon Karen are taking all precautionary measures as it moves closer to the province of Catanduanes. The center of the typhoon was estimated based on all available data at 125 km Northeast of Virac, Catanduanes (14.3°N, 125.1°E) with maximum sustained winds of up to 130 kph and gustiness of up to 180 kph near the center.

Currently, the DSWD Central Office (CO), Field Offices (FOs) and National Resource Operations Center (NROC) have a total stockpile and standby funds amounting to ₱1,282,843,611.51.

Of this total, ₱519,909,902.12 are standby funds at the CO and FOs. Of the said amount,₱476,578,175.35 is the available Quick Response Fund at the CO.

There is also a total of 468,832 Family Food Packs (FFPs) amounting to ₱169,228,457.99 and available Food and Non-Food Items (FNFIs) amounting to ₱575,877,160.28.

Sec. Taguiwalo stated, “Kami sa DSWD ay patuloy na nagmomonitor at nakahandang kagya’t na tumulong sa mga maaapektuhan ng bagyong Karen. Hinihiling din namin sa ating mga kababayan ang lubos na pag-iingat. Maging alerto po tayo at ireport agad sa mga awtoridad ang sitwasyon sa inyung mga lugar (We, at DSWD continues to monitors and ready to immediately help those who will be affected by Karen. We also appeal to our countrymen to be very careful, be alert and report to authorities the situation in your areas.)” ###