With PAGASA declaring that it can raise cyclone warnings to Signal # 4 and 5 in Cagayan Valley and nearby provinces as Typhoon Lawin is expected to make landfall tomorrow, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo urged the public to stay vigilant, beef up their preparations in their own homes, and follow announcements of local authorities for their own safety.
“Hinihikayat ko po ang publiko na manatiling handa at mapagmatyag sa pagdating ng bagyong ‘Lawin.’ Hindi po ordinaryong bagyo si ‘Lawin’, napakalakas po nito. Ayaw na nating maulit ang nangyari noong ‘Yolanda’. Nais po namin na mailigtas ang lahat sa padating na bagyo kaya kami po ay nakiki-usap sa inyo na makipagtulungan sa amin at sa inyong lokal na pamahalaan (We urge the public to remain prepared and vigilant for the coming Typhoon ‘Lawin’. ‘Lawin’ is not an ordinary typhoon, it can become a Super Typhoon. We do not want to repeat what happened during ‘Yolanda’. We request the public to cooperate with us and with their local governments so that everyone will be safe),” said the Secretary.
Yesterday, October 19, the DSWD already replenished goods to areas previously affected by Typhoon ‘Karen’ and are most likely to be hit by ‘Lawin’.
Some 10,000 family food packs (FFPs) were transported from the DSWD-National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City to the La Trinidad, Benguet warehouse.
Moreover, additional goods will be delivered in the following areas:
San Fernando, Pampanga – 15,000 family food packs (FFPs) and 450 relief bags donation from PDRF
Palayan, Nueva Ecija – 5,000 FFPs
Baler, Aurora – 5,000 FFPs
Tuguegarao, Cagayan – 3,000 bottled drinking water
Real, Quezon Port – 1,700 FFPs
OCD–CAR – 100 camping lamps and 100 solar panels
Apart from prepositioning of goods, the DSWD-Disaster Response and Management Bureau (DReAMB) is closely coordinating with the NROC for possible logistical support and deployment.
Sec. Taguiwalo also assured the public that the DSWD will continue to send relief supplies as long as there is need for these.
“It is essential that people meet their food needs especially in these times that disasters come one after the other. They can protect themselves better from hazards if they are physically fit and able,” Sec. Taguiwalo said. ###