Manila: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Friday assured the public that the agency is fully prepared to provide immediate assistance to families that may be affected by the potential super typhoon, which will be named Uwan once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

According to Philippines News Agency, the severe tropical storm, internationally known as Fung-wong, is expected to make landfall as a super typhoon over the southern portion of Isabela or the northern portion of Aurora late Sunday evening or early Monday morning before crossing Northern Luzon and emerging over the West Philippine Sea.

In preparation, the DSWD Ilocos field office, along with community volunteers, conducted quality inspection of family food packs to ensure that each box is in good order before distribution, Gatchalian stated in a Facebook post. Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD's Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) mentioned that the agency has over 2 million family food packs (FFPs) prepositioned in various warehouses nationwide and ready for rapid deployment once Uwan makes landfall.

Priority areas for DSWD's disaster readiness include the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon, which are expected to bear the brunt of Uwan based on the current forecast by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Dumlao highlighted that more than 40,000 FFPs are prepositioned in Aurora province alone, with 200,000 FFPs for the whole of Central Luzon. Food packs are also prepositioned in Cagayan Valley and the Ilocos region, ensuring the DSWD is ready to respond to the needs of those affected.

The concerned DSWD field offices are closely coordinating with their respective local government units (LGUs) and are actively monitoring high-risk communities to ensure that prepositioned goods can be quickly mobilized to the affected areas, Dumlao added.

Meanwhile, relief operations continue without letup for communities affected by Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi), in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to provide round-the-clock assistance to all affected communities. As of Thursday, the DSWD has already released more than 200,000 FFPs to LGUs across the Visayas and parts of Mindanao for families displaced by Tino.

Dumlao reiterated that the DSWD extends assistance to all affected families and individuals inside and outside evacuation centers. To sustain its disaster response operations, the DSWD is coordinating with the Department of Budget and Management for the replenishment of its quick response funds (QRF).

The DSWD spokesperson emphasized the agency's commitment to support the long-term recovery of affected families in Cebu, stating that the response goes beyond immediate food and non-food relief. Continuous support for communities affected by Typhoon Tino is vital until they fully recover, Dumlao noted. The DSWD's disaster response teams are always among the first to arrive and the last to leave disaster-stricken areas.