DSWD-6 preps for ‘Mawar’ in case it hits W. Visayas

By John Noel E. Herrera

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-6 has already prepared relief goods in case typhoon ‘Mawar’, which is approaching the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), will hit Western Visayas.

Data from DSWD-6 indicated that it has over P90 million worth of assistance that could be used in helping areas that might be affected by the typhoon.

As of May 22, 2023, the agency has already prepositioned over 73,000 food packs amounting to P46.5 million that are ready to be distributed to different places in the region.

DSWD-6 added that 38,000 food packs were prepositioned in the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Guimaras, Aklan, and Antique, while the remaining 35,000 were placed in the regional warehouses in Oton in Iloilo, Bacolod City, and Lipa Port in Culasi, Antique.

Aside from the food packs, the agency also prepared P42.5 million worth of non-food items, such as tents, mosquito nets, laminated sacks, and collapsible water containers to be distributed to the possible affected families.

Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-6 on Thursday, May 25, 2023, stated that Western Visayas will experience cloudy skies starting Friday afternoon (May 26) with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

OCD added that updates from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-6 noted that there are “no listings of barangays so far in the region that are susceptible to flooding and landslides.”

However, the MGB-6 still encouraged the Local Government Units (LGUs) to prepare for occurrences of flooding and landslides, particularly near the path of the typhoon, and they have already provided all the towns in the region with geohazard maps.

In Iloilo City, Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) head Donna Magno has already called for a meeting of concerned offices, such as the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), the City Engineer’s Office, and City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), to prepare for the typhoon.

Acting Iloilo City Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, on Thursday, May 25, also issued a memo raising the city’s DRRM Operations Centers to blue alert status due to possible impacts of the typhoon.

While in Iloilo province, Provincial Administrator Raul Banias urged the staff to prepare the province’s assets and logistics to ensure immediate response if needed.

Based on the 11 a.m. advisory of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Thursday, May 25, typhoon Mawar re-intensified into a super typhoon as its maximum sustained winds are back to 185 km/h, the minimum threshold for the super typhoon category.

The cyclone which will be named Betty once it enters the PAR was last spotted 2,065 km East of Southeastern Luzon at 10 a.m., with gusts of up to 230 kph as it moves at 10 kph.

It may also enter the PAR today (Friday) or on Saturday morning (May 27), according to OCD.