The Typhoon Ruby Response Pillar of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) has created Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) teams to assess damages caused by the typhoon in Regions IV-B, VI, and VIII.

Aside from damage assessment, their tasks also include gathering of information on the hard-to-reach affected areas, to ensure that everybody is assisted.

Each team is composed of representatives of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), among others.

Earlier, the CARAGA-based Regional Disaster Response Team successfully conducted its RDANA in the provinces of Surigao Del Norte and Dinagat.

Regional teams are also currently undertaking RDANA in the provinces of Samar, Marinduque, Romblon, and other areas in Regions IV-B and VII.

Meanwhile, the Response Pillar announced that provision of relief support will continue until end of December 2014, especially food assistance for Eastern Samar which is the hardest hit area.

Early recovery initiatives such as repairs of damaged houses and construction of bunkhouses or temporary shelters will start before the year ends.

The Disaster Response Cluster had also prepared the timeline for a comprehensive relief and early recovery plan for all affected regions. ###