PREPOSITIONED FOOD PACKS. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) workers and volunteers unload family food packs (FFPs) from a barge in one of the islands of Batanes on Thursday (Aug. 24, 2023) in anticipation of Tropical Storm Goring. The DSWD has prepositioned close to 10,000 FFPs throughout the island province in compliance with the directive of Secretary Rex Gatchalian. (Photo courtesy of DSWD FO-2)
MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Cagayan Valley regional office, has almost 10,000 family food packs (FFPs) already prepositioned in the island province of Batanes, which is now directly threatened by Tropical Storm (TS) Goring.
According to a report submitted to Secretary Rex Gatchalian from DSWD Field Office-2 (Cagayan Valley) regional director Lucia Alan, of the total 9,778 FFPs prepositioned in Batanes, 1,306 FFPs are in Basco; Itbayat with 1,322; Ivana, 1,100; Mahatao, 1,094; Sabtang, 1,203; Uyugan, 1,167; and the rest were sent to the Batanes provincial capitol.
Alan also reported to the Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) that FO-2 has also prepositioned FFPs to Isabela province’s coastal municipalities of Divilacan with 1,000 FFPs; Maconacon with 154; and Palanan with 500.
An additional 1,246 food packs were also sent through boat to Isabela province.
“For Calayan Island, we have prepositioned 2,900 FFPs, while 150 FFPs were sent to Barangay Fuga of Aparri, Cagayan,” Alan reported.
The prepositioning of FFPs was in compliance with the directive of Gatchalian on Tuesday ordering concerned DSWD regional directors to beef up their stockpile of food packs in anticipation of TS Goring.
Goring (international name: Saola) has slightly intensified near Batanes Friday morning with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 90 kph.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No.1 has been hoisted in Batanes; the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Is., Camiguin Is.); the eastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-lo, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca); and the northeastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan).
Heavy rainfall is expected over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (PNA)
