Gov’t provides P4.1M aid to families affected by ‘Paeng’

THE Marcos administration, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), local government units (LGUs), and other partners, provided P4.1 million in assistance to families affected by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng, which already made landfall in the Bicol region.

On the instruction of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the DSWD said Saturday that the government has available overall relief resources of P1.5 billion with P445.2 million standby funds and quick response fund (QRF).

The agency also has more than P1 billion worth of stockpiles ready to be distributed.

According to the DSWD, there are 97,206 families affected by the tropical storm in multiple regions, with 12,304 families already sheltering in evacuation centers.

Initial reports said there were 54 totally damaged houses and 54 partially damaged.

Regions affected by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng include Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, Caraga Region, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The storm crossed the tip of Catanduanes and made landfall in Camarines Sur and is forecast to continue moving west-northwestward through Sunday across Luzon.

According to its forecast track, the center of Paeng will traverse the Bicol Peninsula before crossing Calabarzon-Metro Manila-Southern Central Luzon area early Saturday afternoon.