The DSWD Central Office and Field Office 1 provided Php3.6M worth of relief goods to monsoon rain victims in the previous weeks affecting 55,778 families or 247,588 individuals in 139 barangays in the Provinces of Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan.

Five deaths due to drowning and landslides were reported: four from Pangasinan namely R-Jay S. Orteras, 6-month old from Bolinao; Marlon N. Lapena, 52 y/o from Urdaneta City; Vince Abrey D. Mendosa, 15 y/o from Sual; Regine M. Velasco, 16 y/o from Calasiao; and one from Sugpon, Ilocos Sur, 13 y/o Annabel Sicmaten. Their families will be provided with burial assistance and were also referred to the Office of Civil Defense for additional assistance.

Also, 39 totally- and 34 partially-damaged houses were reported by the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC). These will be validated for Emergency Shelter Assistance and Core Shelter Assistance Programs after relief operations.

In Bani, Pangasinan, the relief goods prepositioned from the DSWD Field Office 1 were readily available for release to the family-victims. According to Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer Grace Taganap, 2,028 food packs released were from DSWD.

In Dagupan City, only 1 Evacuation Center is still open at the City People’s Astrodome where 1,000 family food packs were provided including to families who already returned home.

As a directive from DSWD Regional Director Marcelo Nicomedes J. Castillo, the prepositioned goods in Dagupan City and in the Municipalities of Bani, Rosales, and Sta. Barbara in Pangasinan are regularly monitored by the SWAD Teams for ready release to disaster victims from nearby areas. (by: Iryn D. Cubangbang, Information Office II)