BAGUIO CITY — The Social Welfare department reported widespread impact across the Cordillera and Cagayan Valley regions following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Fung-wong, locally called Uwan, which affected a combined total of 17,597 families or 54,294 individuals across the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Cagayan Valley Region.
In the Cordillera region alone, 3,493 families or 10,875 individuals were affected, with 2,741 families or 8,414 persons currently displaced.
Abra reported 263 affected families, Apayao with 1,908, and Kalinga with 526 — the highest among the provinces. Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, and Baguio City also recorded displaced residents, though no houses were reported damaged.
More than P328,000 worth of assistance was extended, with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) contributing P129,000, while local government units (LGUs), NGOs, and other partners provided the rest.
Meanwhile, Cagayan Valley reported the highest number of affected individuals, with 14,104 families or 43,419 persons across 683 barangays in Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. Isabela bore the brunt with 6,625 families affected, followed by Cagayan with 2,607 families.
As of the latest report, 10,200 families (31,168 persons) are taking temporary shelter in 711 evacuation centers, while 3,317 families (10,687 persons) are staying with relatives or friends.
Relief operations are ongoing, with DSWD Field Office II distributing 180 Family Food Packs worth P106,000 — three of which were sent to Batanes and 177 to Quirino.
In CAR, augmentation support was extended to the municipalities of Tuba and Tublay, including 396 Family Food Packs, 396 Ready-to-Eat Meals, 269 containers of six-liter drinking water, and 50 modular tents amounting to a total of P793,000.
The Philippine Red Cross also conducted child-friendly activities and served hot meals to displaced residents in Tabuk City, Kalinga.
Both DSWD Regional Field Offices I and II continue to coordinate with the Office of Civil Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and respective provincial disaster councils for timely reporting and resource deployment.
The Cordillera Response Cluster Virtual Emergency Operations Center has been activated for real-time coordination and monitoring. As of the latest data, CAR maintains P93.7 million worth of standby funds and stockpiles, including 68,417 Family Food Packs and 18,371 non-food items ready for distribution. — Artemio A. Dumlao