DSWD-1 readies 5K food packs in Ilocos Norte as ‘Enteng’ intensifies

Personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Ilocos Region (DSWD-1) have started prepositioning more family food packs (FFPs) in strategic locations as typhoon Enteng is expected to bring gusty winds and heavy rainfall in this northern part of Luzon. Acting Provincial Social Welfare and Development officer Rochelle Gajes said on Monday 5,000 more FFPs have been dispatched to satellite warehouses in the province as augmentation to the more than 16,000 FFPs in Solsona, Pasuquin, Banna, and Pagudpud. 'Ahead of the typhoon, we have prepositioned food and non-food packs already to ensure quick response to affected families,' she said. Earlier in the day, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc called on local government units to implement measures to protect life and property as the typhoon intensifies over the Luzon Strait. Classes in Kindergarten up to Grade 12 have been suspended after the province has been placed under storm signal no. 1 and then the northen portion to signal no. 2 b ased on the 11 a.m. report of the weather bureau. Classes in elementary and high school, including those in the alternative learning system in Ilocos Sur were also suspended as the province has been placed under signal no. 1. Pangasinan, La Union relief efforts Meanwhile, more than 60,000 FFPs are ready for distribution in DSWD satellite warehouses in La Union and Pangasinan. La Union's two warehouses contain 54,161 FFPs and Pangasinan's six warehouses have 6,000. DSWD-Ilocos field office's relief resources include 81,723 FFPs, 21,157 non-food items, and 13,244 bottles of drinking water, worth PHP109.87 million. It also has a PHP3 million standby fund. Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office operations and training head Vincent Chu said in a phone interview that they raised the alert status to blue as early as Saturday afternoon. Manpower and equipment were dispatched to Tayug, San Nicolas, San Fabian, Sta. Barbara, Burgos and Urdaneta City. Chu said 18 of the 48 local gove rnment units in Pangasinan canceled classes due to the inclement weather. In La Union, Governor Raphaelle Veronica David suspended classes both in public and private schools in all levels and work in government offices, except for frontline and emergency personnel, at 2 p.m. "Suspension of work in private companies is encouraged and left at the discretion of their respective heads of office," the La Union Provincial Information Office said. Source: Philippines News Agency