DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 5 February)— The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Davao has prepositioned a total of 91,807 family food packs for families in the region who may be affected by tropical storm “Basyang” (international name: Penha).
The PAGASA weather bureau, in its advisory released at 8 a.m. Thursday, said the center of Basyang was estimated at 385 km East of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.
Meanwhile, face-to-face classes at all levels in both public and private schools here have been suspended starting 8 a.m. following PAGASA’s report that Basyang is forecast to make its initial landfall over Surigao del Sur between Thursday night and early Friday morning before crossing Mindanao.
Lennon Remotigue, focal person for the disaster response operations, management, information, and communication of DSWD-Davao, told reporters in a press briefing via Zoom on Wednesday that the agency has sufficient food packs for affected communities and that its quick response teams are already on standby in preparation for the tropical storm.
He said that, of the total family food packs, 11,929 are stored at the agency’s regional warehouse in Purok 7, Bago Oshiro, Tugbok, Davao City; 55,341 at the hub in Panacan; 6,970 in Davao Oriental; 8,031 in Davao de Oro; 2,776 in Davao del Norte; 2,822 in Davao del Sur; and 3,93 in Davao Occidental.
Each food pack consists of 6 kg of rice, 2 cans of sardines, 4 cans of tuna flakes, 4 cans of corned beef, 5 sachets of coffee, and 5 sachets of chocolate malt drink.
“These numbers show that DSWD has sufficient food packs that we can provide as resource augmentation for our local government units affected by the tropical storm,” he said.
Remotigue said the agency anticipates more families potentially affected in the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao de Oro, based on the storm’s forecast track issued by the PAGASA weather bureau.
The class suspension was announced in a public advisory posted 8 a.m. Thursday on the official Facebook page of the City Government of Davao. The suspension will remain in effect until Friday.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) has also raised its alert level following PAGASA’s advisories. In a separate weather advisory issued at 9:18 a.m. Thursday, CDRRMO officer-in-charge Rodolfo Encabo said Davao City is likewise under PAGASA Flood Advisory No. 5 affecting all river systems due to the storm.
Encabo said “occasional rains, gusty winds, and possible rough seas may be experienced,” which could lead to localized flooding and minor landslides, particularly in low-lying, riverine, coastal, and slope-prone communities.
All Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committees (BDRRMCs) and partner volunteer groups were advised to implement heightened monitoring and preparedness measures, including continuous weather monitoring, readiness of response teams, inspection of evacuation centers, and checking rescue equipment and supplies.
The advisory also ordered the strict prohibition of recreational activities along coastal areas due to possible rough sea conditions and coastal hazards. (Antonio L. Colina IV with Allizah Keziah Manulat / MindaNews)
