LUNA, Apayao – Report from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO)-Apayao, headed by Dept. Head Jocelyn Loyon, as of 5PM of October 23 showed there are 22 families or 75 individuals affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine in the province as it moves through Luzon.
The number may increase when the typhoon landfalls in Isabela tonight. These affected families came from Conner (1 barangay), Flora (2 barangays), Kabugao (1 barangay), and Calanasan (1 barangay).
According to Social Welfare Officer Jane Tarmad, food packs have been prepositioned and the municipalities have readied their food aid for distribution. Nevertheless, the PSWDO said the provincial government headed by Governor Elias C. Bulut Jr., is prepared to augment the help given by the municipalities once needed.
While there were 11 families displaced and 1 house partially damaged, there are no reported casualties.
In the latest report of PSDWO, it said three evacuation centers have been activated – 2 in Flora (Poblacion East Barangay Hall and ECBJR Evacuation Center) and 1 in Conner (Barangay Hall of Caglayan).
Timely reporting of the PSWDO, said Tarmad, is attributed to their deployment of their personnel in all municipalities across the province to help in the gathering of information and consolidation of data. A quick response team of the PSWDO has also been organized to receive and validate Disaster Response Operations and Monitoring Information Center (DROMIC) data. The team is responsible for submitting reports to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and SWAD-DSWD.
It can be recalled that during the Typhoon Julian in September, there were 882 families or 3,343 individuals affected in Apayao. All individuals were served by the barangay and municipal governments and Department of Social Welfare and Development. By Arjay Baysa
