Soliman: Gov't prepared for typhoon 'Jose'

MANILA, Philippines - Secretary Corazon Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday said the government has enough relief goods for possible evacuees that may be affected by typhoon Jose.

"In Ilocos Region, DSWD has prepositioned family food packs worth P1,564,763.60 and non-food items worth P6,082,767.93," Soliman said. The weather bureau said the typhoon is unlikely to make landfall in the country, but it is currently enhancing the southwest monsoon which triggers heavy downpour in Luzon including Metro Manila. Typhoon Jose packs maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 230 kph.

Soliman said DSWD is coordinating with the Office of the Civil Defense Regional Center 1 and the local disaster management councils to monitor the situation in low-lying areas prone to flooding. She said pre-emptive evacuation of families will be done to prevent casualties.

Soliman said the DSWD-Field Office II in Cagayan Valley pre-positioned a total of 13,000 family food packs for the 65 evacuation centers identified. The provincial governments of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and Batanes also prepared a total of 20,325 family food packs.

DSWD also has a standby fund of P5.18 million for 3,660 family food packs, 314 cases of assorted canned goods, 987 cases of bottled water, and 36,000 tins of ready-to-eat-food that are readily available for distribution, she said.