With the number account in 384,520 families from several parts of the country.
On Monday, August 10, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Assistant Secretary Laurence Mina, citing a report, that there are 384,520 families, or 1,310,000 individuals affected by enhanced southwest monsoon (Habagat) and the consecutive Tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay.
He noted that 16,130 families (or 58,650 individuals) are currently taking shelter at 624 evacuation centers, while 11,360 families (or 39,290 individuals) are temporarily staying outside evacuation centers.
The official also reported that in Regions 1 and 6, CAR, Calabarzon and Mimaropa, there are 367 damaged houses, with 27 totally damaged and 340 partially damaged.
Meanwhile, in Region 1, CAR, and Calabarzon, there are at least 12 fatalities, 8 missing, and 11 injured persons, which is still under validation.
PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVES, OTHER COURSES OF ACTION
This information was announced after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had a briefing with Cabinet officials at Malacañang Palace to assess the impact of the weather disturbances.
Present during the briefing were Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon, among others.
The said meeting, the Palace told, covered the latest situation in communities affected by heavy rains and flooding associated with the enhanced southwest monsoon.
The President then directed all concerned government agencies to ensure that assistance reaches all affected residents.
“Siniguro rin ng Pangulo na mabigyan ng tulong ang lahat ng mga apektado kabilang na ‘yung mga residenteng nakabalik na sa kani-kanilang tahanan mula sa mga evacuation centers,” the Palace Press Officer said during a press briefing after the the meeting.
Castro noted the President and concerned government agencies remain on alert and are closely monitoring the effects of the Habagat and the recent tropical cyclones.
The government has already delivered PHP42.87 million worth of assistance to affected families.
The OCD, DSWD, and local government units (LGUs) and other partners reported that they have already delivered aid in the National Capital Region, Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Region IV-A (Calabarzon), Region IV-B (Mimaropa), and Regions 5 (Bicol), 6 (Western Visayas) and 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula).
A total of 3,841 personnel have been deployed for possible search and rescue (SAR) operations, along with 14 air assets and one sea asset from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), said Castro.
In Atok, Benguet, and Guisad Surong, Baguio City, the SAR are ongoing with the participation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the DPWH.
Meanwhile, Castro added that another 4,392 personnel and 943 assets are on standby for immediate deployment when needed, including those of the Assets from the Office of Civil Defense, AFP, Philippine Navy, and Bureau of Fire Protection.
The Palace official likewise said that the DSWD has distributed 54,370 family food packs, 2,722 ready-to-eat food items, 23 other food items and 1,376 non-food items to affected families.
Nearly PhP1 million in financial assistance has also been distributed through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, she added.
The DSWD currently has nearly five million family food packs and 245,474 non-food items ready for distribution nationwide, as well as PhP1.61 billion in standby funds to support continuing relief operations, said Castro.
According to Mina, on the other hand, OCD-CAR has reported an ongoing distribution of food and non-food items amounting to PHP1.67 million.
FOOD PACKS AND OTHER ASSISTANCE
During the same briefing, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the government continues to increase its stockpile of pre-packaged food items.
The almost five million family food packs are currently positioned inbaround 1,000 warehouses nationwide to ensure immediate relief for communities affected by typhoons and other disasters.
“This (five million) is the largest stockpile the country has had since we started implementing this system,” Gatchalian said, who added that a total of 245,474 non-food items are also on standby nationwide for immediate deployment.
Gatchalian also stated that the DSWD has already processed close to one million pesos worth of financial assistance.
DOH TOLD TO MONITOR POSSIBLE SPIKE IN LEPTOSPIROSIS, DENGUE CASES
Due to the continued heavy rainfall, President Marcos also told ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to monitor possible cases of leptospirosis, dengue and other diseases, and address these concerns immediately to prevent them from spreading and getting worse.
“Sa utos ng Pangulo, pinagana ng DOH ang kanilang leptospirosis at dengue fast lanes sa lahat ng kanilang hospitals at BUCAS centers,” Castro said in the press breifing. She also said that Marcos has stressed that hospitals must be ready if cases of leptospirosis and dengue will increase in affected areas.
In line with that, the national government has also prepositioned medicines for distribution to LGUs, on top of ensuring health emergency response teams are ready for deployment to evacuation centers.
Castro added that the President also ordered to ensure the welfare and safety of barangay health workers and emphasized that emergency commodities, such as chlorine tablets, clean drinking water in affected areas, doxycycline, as well as other medicines, hygiene kits, and micronutrient supplements, would be available in LGUs.
DOH, for its part, has also made sure that breast milk in DOH hospitals is sufficient for newborn babies.
In mine with this, the government has allotted a PhP44 million budget for health emergency commodities and response supplies of the DOH that are ready for distribution to Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Bicol.
MMDA SEES IMPROVEMENT IN FLOOD SITUATION IN METRO MANILA
At the same press briefing, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando Artes reported a significant improvement in Metro Manila’s flood situation despite the heavy volume of rains and water coming from upstream areas.
He noted that roads previously impassable due to flooding are now experiencing only gutter-deep waters. “Yes, malaki pong improvement kung titignan n’yo ang volume ng ulan na bumagsak sa Metro Manila.”
Artes said that whkley volume of rain that fell over Metro Manila was significant, the flooding situation improved this time.
“Considering yung fact na marami sa ating mga kalsada na dati po ay lubog at hindi nadadaanan ay hanggang gutter-deep lang,” Artes added.
Artes also cited DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who reported no major flooding in Valenzuela, with areas that experienced flooding having been limited to gutter-deep levels ans waters quickly subsided.
The MMDA chief attributed the improvement partly to the government’s Oplan Kontra Baha, a flood mitigation initiative involving the clearing and deepening of waterways and said President Marcos welcomed the improvement in Metro Manila’s flood situation.
Although, the Chief Executive also ordered authorities to further intensify flood-control interventions to make them more effective.
“Natuwa po siya, pero at the same time, ipinag-utos niya po na paigtingin pa yung mga ginagawang interventions na ’yan para po mas maging effective dahil sa dami ng waterways dito, hindi pa kami siguro nakaka-kalahati mula nang nagsimula kami last year,” Artes said.
