Palace assures 'timely, effective' response efforts to 'Lando' victims

MANILA, Philippines - Government agencies have been exerting coordinated response efforts to the victims of Typhoon Lando, Malacañang said Monday.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the regional office personnel of the Philippine National Police have been deployed to deliver food packs to typhoon victims and assist in evacuation centers.

The Philippine Coast Guard, meanwhile, has directed its frontline units to prepare all response assets for possible deployment, Lacierda said.

He said the Armed Forces has also been coordinating with local government units to monitor landslide and flood-prone areas.

"All this is being done in close coordination with other agencies," Lacierda said. "Everyone has been working together to ensure that our response efforts are timely and effective."

Lacierda said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council remains on red alert and continues to supervise rescue and relief operations.

He said the Department of Social Welfare and Development prepared  P1.16 billion in standby funds, 196,737 family food packs, and P158 million worth of food and non-food items.

The Department of Health also pre-positioned hygiene and first aid kits in the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol and Cordillera Administrative Region.

The Department of Public Works and Highways also pre-positioned operators and heavy equipment to hazard-prone areas in the affected regions.

LIVE updates: Typhoon 'Lando'

State weather bureau PAGASA said in its latest bulletin that Lando continues its slow movement as it heads for the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Abra and Apayao.

At 11 a.m. today, PAGASA said Lando maintained its maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
Lando is expected to move north northeast at 5 kph and to be 300 kilometers north of Itbayat, Batanes by Saturday morning.