MANILA, Philippines?The Department of Social Welfare and Development has allocated P90 million worth of standby funds and commodities for eight regions in anticipation of the effects of typhoon "Pepeng" as well as to continue the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of Tropical Storm "Ondoy".

Cabral said that of the amount, P16 million are funds while P74 million represent food and non-food commodities that have been distributed to the DSWD central office and field offices.

At the meeting of the National Disaster Coordinating Council presided over by President Macapagal-Arroyo on Saturday, Cabral said that some of the standby funds of some regions were "increased to five to ten times the usual."

These are the areas that were either hit hard by "Ondoy" or were predicted to be on the path of "Pepeng," which made landfall in Cagayan at 3 p.m. Saturday.

The regions that will receive the standby funds are the National Capital Region; Cordillera Administrative Region; Ilocos, Cagayan Valley; Calabarzon (Calamba, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon); Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan); and Bicol.

"The Bicol region received 10 times more their usual standby fund," Cabral said, adding the area usually receives some P300,000 only.

The region was given enough resources in anticipation of the possible onslaught of "Pepeng."

"In fact, we have already sent a lot of relief goods to Catanduanes because the initial report was the storm would hit the area hard. Now, we were told that it would be Cagayan," Cabral said.

"Our planning is also affected by the path of the typhoon," Cabral added.

Cabral was also set to meet Saturday afternoon with Association of Southeast Asian Nations Deputy Secretary General Sayakane Sisouvong to discuss with him the ongoing relief operations for the victims of "Ondoy" and the preparations for the possible effects of "Pepeng".

The regional bloc has set up a fund for the victims of Storm Ketsana, the international codename of "Ondoy".