After his visit to Ilocos Norte in the morning, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian flew to Cagayan province to check on the relief operations in the region, which bore the brunt of Super Typhoon Egay.
Secretary Gatchalian and his DSWD team landed on Lal-lo airport in Northern Cagayan before noon and travelled directly to Aparri town, which was the first landfall of TS Egay, incurring heavy damages.
In Aparri, Secretary Gatchalian immediately chaired a meeting with Mayor Bryan Dale Chan and DSWD Cagayan Valley Regional Director Lucia Allan to check on the status of the distribution of family food packs (FFPs) among those severely affected by the super typhoon.
During the meeting, Secretary Gatchalian instructed the DSWD personnel in the area to ensure that all logistical requirements are met to provide the much needed relief augmentation for the typhoon-affected families and individuals.
“The top priority will be to provide additional resources for geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas like Batanes, Calayan Island, and Fuga Island,” the DSWD chief said.
Secretary Gatchalian later told members of the media that the instruction of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is to see to it that all the needs of all affected residents are properly and promptly addressed.
“Ito ang atas ng Pangulong Marcos para masiguro natin ang pangangailangan ng ating mga residente sa mga areas na tinamaan ng bagyong Egay” the DSWD chief said.
To ensure that the President’s instructions are carried out, the DSWD chief said it is important to provide adequate supplies of relief goods in family food packs (FFPs) boxes.
Aside from providing food aid, Secretary Gatchalian said monetary assistance in the form of cash-for-work (CFW) and emergency cash transfer (ECT) will be provided.
“Ang initial salvo is family food packs. Ang instruction ng Pangulo, walang residente na apektado ang dapat magutom pero hindi dyan nagwawakas ang instruction ng ating Pangulo. Nag- instruct din siya na simulan na namin ang aming financial assistance para makabangon muli ang ating mga residente, para yung mga naantala yung hanap buhay ay maiayos muli yung kanilang mga kabuhayan. Yung mga nasira ang mga bahay, maiaayos muli ang kanilang mga bahay,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
In Cagayan Valley alone, a total of 57,778 individuals or 17,551 families were severely affected by Typhoon Egay in the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya.
The DSWD chief wrapped up his visit to Aparri by distributing family food packs and cash aid to hundreds of evacuees.#
