BAGUIO CITY – Some 62,811 families composed of 218,899 individuals from the different parts of the Cordillera have been affected by the southwest monsoon and eleven weather disturbances that struck the region during the year.
Dr. Maria Catbagan-Aplaten, regional director of the Cordillera office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-CAR), reported that the government provided the affected families with more than PhP21 million worth of food and non-food assistance during the past several months when the weather disturbances struck the region bringing heavy rains and strong winds that also affected some 6,697 houses with 177 houses were totally damaged and 6,620 houses partially damaged.
She further reported that some 7,311 families composed of 22,110 individuals were affected by the combined effects of Typhoons Nika and Ofel, aside from the 250 reported damaged houses with 234 being partially damaged and 16 houses totally damaged.
Initially, the DSWD-CAR shelled out more than PhP1.5 million worth of food and non-food assistance to the calamity victims.
Further, Typhoon Marcé affected some 20,352 families composed of 70,874 individuals from the different parts of the region when it hovered around Northern Luzon, damaging 6,139 houses with 151 houses totally damaged and 5,988 partially damaged.
The DSWD-CAR official said that the government already released more than PhP8.5 million worth of food and non-food assistance to cater to the needs of the affected individuals, most of them were in evacuation centers around the region.
On the other hand, some 6,945 families composed of 27,736 individuals from the different parts of the region were affected by the combined effects of Typhoons Kristine and Leon plus 354 damaged houses, six had been totally damaged and 348 were partially damaged.
According to her, the government released more than PhP3.3 million worth of food and non-food assistance to the calamity victims for them to cope with their difficult situation.
At the height of Typhoon Julian early last month, some 24,851 families composed of 85,010 individuals from the different parts of the region were affected, including 33 houses that were damaged, three of which were totally damaged houses and 30 partially damaged.
More than PhP5.4 million worth of food and non-food assistance were provided by the government to these affected individuals.
The southwest monsoon that was enhanced by Typhoons Ferdie, Gener, Helen and Igme affected some 2,772 families composed of 8,480 individuals in the region including 10 damaged houses with one house totally damaged and nine houses partially damaged.
Catbagan said that the agency released more than PhP2.1 million worth of food and non-food assistance during this time.
During the wrath of Typhoon Enteng last September 2, 2024, some 1,080 families composed of 4,689 individuals from the different parts of the region were affected including 11 partially damaged houses.
She noted that PhP22,357.10 worth of food and non-food assistance were released by the agency for the victims of the calamity that struck the region at that time. The social welfare department continues to closely monitor the latest developments in the coming days, especially with the projected entry to the country of Typhoon Pepito, to ensure that calamity victims will be immediately provided with the necessary food and non-food assistance for them to cope with the effects of the weather disturbance.
She assured Cordillerans that the agency has more than enough food and non-food items that can be immediately dispatched from their existing warehouses to cater to the needs of the calamity victims during future weather disturbances amidst the enormous damages inflicted by the previous storms to thousands of individuals living in the different parts of the region. By Dexter A. See
