‘Ompong’ Affects 32,000 Families in Central Luzon

Approximately 32,100 families or about 135,490 persons in 246 barangays of 40 municipalities and cities in Central Luzon were affected as typhoon “Ompong” lashes the region with strong winds and intense rains.

“Per Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), about 8,914 families or 32,742 persons are currently in evacuation centers,” Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Chairperson and Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Marlou Salazar said.

In terms of assistance from RDRRMC member-agencies, DSWD earlier prepositioned a total 12,852 family food packs (FFPs) in its warehouses in Aurora, Olongapo City, Bulacan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac. It also augmented 1,000 FFPs in Marilao, Bulacan.

Department of Health, for its part, distributed a total of 65,090 doxycycline capsules in Bulacan, Aurora, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to address leptospirosis.

“Moreover, Philippine National Police deployed, as of 6 pm, 670 Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel in its Police Provincial Offices in Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija as well as in the City Police Office of Olongapo and at the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 3. A total of 3,014 SAR personnel are on standby mode,” Salazar added.

National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), on the other hand, activated its Regional Task Force Bayanihan wherein affiliated civic action groups have set-up VHF radio communications at the Emergency Operations Center in Clark Freeport.

“The Philippine Amateur Radio Association likewise activated its radio communications setup at NTC Regional Office for further communication assistance,” Salazar disclosed. (CLJD-PIA 3)