By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet

As Tropical Storm (TS) Basyang continues to intensify ahead of its upcoming landfall in the northeastern Mindanao area, various government agencies are now on blue alert status as they monitor developments regarding the track of the tropical cyclone.

In a media release on Wednesday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that its concerned regional Field Offices (FOs) have already prepositioned food items for local government units (LGUs) that will be affected by TS Basyang.

DSWD Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a statement, “Currently, the DSWD has more than 3.5 million family food packs (FFPs) prepositioned in all its hubs, spokes, and last-mile warehouses across the country. 

The DSWD FO Caraga maintains more than 186,000 boxes of FFPS, DSWD FO 7 – Central Visayas has over 77,000 boxes of FFPs, while the DSWD FO 8 – Eastern Visayas has more than 161,000 boxes of FFPs.”

Asec. Dumlao said the Luzon Disaster Resource Operations Center (LDRC) in Pasay City has more than 672,000 boxes of FFPs, while more than 317,000 boxes of FFPs are stationed at the Visayas Disaster Resource Operations Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City.

She moreover noted that the agency has P3.04 billion Quick Response Fund (QRF) on standby, along with various disaster response equipment that is ready to be deployed as needed.

NDRRMC, PCG on heightened alert

In a media release on Thursday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) also outlined the preparations being undertaken at its operation center in anticipation of Basyang’s landfall.

OCD Spokesperson Junie Castillo noted that Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils in concerned areas have already conducted their respective pre-disaster risk assessments, with emergency clusters on standby for any contingency.

The OCD moreover is in close coordination with local government units (LGUs) to ensure prompt response and intervention especially in flood and landslide-prone areas.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) prepositioned its personnel and equipment in Western Visayas and Mindanao to facilitate humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and search and rescue operations. (with reports from Jaymark Dagala and Paul Tarrosa | RP1)

jpv