Personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) prepare family food packs for distribution to various areas in Central Luzon in anticipation of the impact of Tropical Depression “Gardo” and Super Typhoon “Henry.” (Photo courtesy of DSWD)
MANILA, Philippines — Only five families affected by Typhoon “Henry” now remain in evacuation centers, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Wednesday.
These families are currently staying in an evacuation center in Zambales, NDRRMC spokesperson and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Assistant Secretary Raffy Alejandro said.
Meanwhile, 11 other families who took temporary shelter with their relatives have also not yet returned to their homes, he added.
The agency reported a total of almost 800 affected families due to the onslaught of Henry.
The NDRRMC also cited that almost 200 families participated in the preemptive evacuation.
Alejandro said that relief assistance from local government units was already distributed to those affected by the typhoon.
“Although nag-preposition tayo, ang nagamit talaga ay ‘yung mga nasa LGU [Local Government Unit], mga relief assistance. Ang na-release po as per our report is nasa almost 330 family food packs lang po ang nagamit or na-release po,” he noted.
(Although we initiated, the relief assistance was from LGU [Local Government Unit]. According to our report, we only distributed or used almost 330 family food packs.)
The agency also said one person was reported dead from drowning in a river in Ilocos Norte.
Alejandro assured that the OCD will give financial and burial assistance to the victim’s family.
“‘’Yung DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development], mayroon din silang binibigay na assistance diyan, and ‘yung DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Government] and LGU [Local Government Unit] mismo. Kung makumpleto ang mga papeles required and reports needed, maibibigay agad ang assistance,” he added.
(The DSWD will also be providing assistance, as well as the DILG and LGU. If all the necessary papers and reports are already completed, assistance will be urgently provided.)
Alejandro stressed that Typhoon Henry generally had “very minimal” damage to its affected areas, particularly in Region 2, citing few to no damages in infrastructures.
Typhoon Henry, with an international name of Hinnamor, already exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) last Sunday.
Currently, NDRRMC is on standby in implementing its protocols as a preparation for an anticipated typhoon to enter the PAR. — Christian Paul Dela Cruz, INQUIRER.net trainee
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