Evacuees fleeing Nika, Ofel, Pepito’s wrath swell to almost 387K

Families fleeing the life-threatening effects of the three typhoons Nike, Ofel, Pepito have swollen to 85,413 or 386,682 individuals seeking temporary shelter at various evacuation centers in various regions affected by these extreme weather disturbances.

And the numbers are even growing, admitted Assistant Sec. Irene Dumlao of the social welfare department’s Disaster Response Management Group, because local government units in the Bicol and Central Luzon region’s are still evacuating families as pre-emptive measures against further victimizations.

LGUs in Guinayangan, Calauag, Alabat, San Francisco, Jomalig, Polilio, Burdeos, Catanauan, Infanta, Lucena City, Atimonan, Agdangan, Buenavista, General Luna, General Nakar, Mauban, Lopez, Padre Burgos, Panukulan, Patnanungan, Perez, Pitogo, Plaridel, Real, Quezon, Tagkawayan and Unisan towns in Q uezon province have ongoing pre-emptive evacuations, added the DWD, while it is verifying information about on-going evacuations in Gumaca, also in Quezon.

The social welfare department also reported of pre-emptive evacuations in Bay, Laguna and Cuenca, Talisay, Balete, Batangas City, Sto Tomas, Balayan, Tanauan, Lemery, Mataas na kahoy, Agoncillo, and Lobo towns., and also in Morong, Rizal.

Dumlao further added that and no pre-emptive evacuation was reported yet in Cavite, though Umus City officials have requested 200 Family Food Packs in anticipation of evacuees when Pepito strikes the area Sunday afternoon.

Reports have also reached the DSWD Disaster Response Management Group that 20 passengers have been stranded passengers at the Real Port in Quezon and 42 passengers more at the Daalhican Port, in Lucena, still in Quezon province.

While the DSWD-Central Luzon region said it is monitoring 71 opened evacuations centers (EC) in Aurora, Bataan and Pampanga provinces where 98 families (388 individuals) are at 9 Baler ECs; 266 families (680 individuals) at 7 Dilasag ECs; 1800 families (5,953 individuals) at 28 ECs in Dinalungan; 209 families ( 680 individuals) at 20 ECs in Dingalan; all in Aurora; while 12 families (42 individuals at 2 ECs in Orion, Bataan; 108 families (305 indiv) at 2 Lubao, Pampanga ECs; and 2 families (5 individuals) at an Arayat, Pampang EC.

DSWD-Central Luzon regional director Venus Reboldela assured that there is an ongoing production and prepositioning of family food packs at identified satellite warehouses of their Field Office, and continuous coordination with the Central Luzon Regional Disaster Response and Risk Management Council and interagency collaboration with their local counterparts, including participation in scheduled Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) meetings.