President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured that the government will maintain its provision of all forms of assistance to victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine as another tropical storm approaches the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
“We’ll just have to keep monitoring the situation and make sure, always, the rescue and relief don’t stop. It doesn’t matter there’s another storm coming, we cannot stop. That cannot stop,” Marcos said during a situation briefing at Malacañang Palace on Friday.
Marcos instructed pertinent government agencies to maintain relief operations and speed up assistance to the affected regions.
Moreover, he also emphasized the need for the government to be ready for the impending weather disturbance.
The President also stated that the support provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to those in evacuation centers, as well as to individuals staying outside their homes, must continue.
Meanwhile, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian reported that the agency distributed 150,752 family food packs to victims of Severe Tropical Storm Katherine, along with 3,231 non-food items, totaling PhP111,133,601.54 in value.
The DSWD maintains a national stockpile of 1,905,700 family food packs, valued at PhP1,439,033,413.58.
Gatchalian stated that the national government is prepared to assist victims and affected local government units, emphasizing that all necessary support has been mobilized.
