In July, Region 1 was hit by successive typhoons Crising, Dante, and Emong, which further enhanced the southwest monsoon, affecting more than half a million families and extending the relief operations of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1 – Ilocos Region (DSWD FO1) into August.

According to the Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD) – Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC), a total of 675,896 families, or 2.3 million individuals, were reported affected across the Ilocos Region.

In response, the DSWD FO1, as Vice-Chair for Response and Early Recovery of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 1 (RDRRMC 1), has extended over PhP369,916,124.94 worth of relief assistance to affected Local Government Units (LGUs).

These relief operations would not have been possible without the assistance of RDRRMC 1 member-agencies, LGUs, and volunteers who tirelessly work to expedite the provision of aid to affected families and individuals.

As of 4:00 PM today (August 30), a total of 570,338 Food and Non-Food Items (FNFIs) have been released to affected LGUs as augmentation. Relief distribution remains ongoing for the few remaining affected families and individuals who have not yet received assistance.At present, DSWD FO1 continues to preposition FNFIs in one (1) Regional Warehouse, two (2) Satellite Warehouses, and 16 Prepositioning Areas across the region to ensure immediate response to the needs of families and individuals affected by any disaster. (by Henry J. Juyno, Information Officer II)