The DSWD here in the Cagayan Valley Region has started its preparations for Tropical Storm ‘Ramon,’ which as of the latest forecast is expected to make landfall in Luzon over the weekend.

Regional Director Fernando R. De Villa, Jr. has instructed field office staff to stay on alert and has activated Regional Disaster Management and Response Teams (RDMRTs) to coordinate with concerned local government units (LGUs) and other partners for the possible effects of the approaching typhoon and for augmentation purposes.

“Handa tayo dito para sa Typhoon Ramon at ang ating mga kawani ay nakahanda upang maglingkod ngayong mayroong parating na bagyo,” Director De Villa, Jr. added.

The field office has 20,494 Family Food Packs (FFPs) amounting to P8,549,220.44, 653 NFA rice and vacuum rice worth P639,602.00 and 3,940 non-food items amounting to P3,894,544.25 prepositioned in its warehouse ready for augmentation to the region’s cities and municipalities.

A total of 6,446 FFPs worth P2,000,967.32 has also been prepositioned to the Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) offices in the provinces of Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya to serve as first augmenters to the needs of the provinces’ cities and municipalities.

A total of P3,564,703.35 standby fund is also available in the field office for disaster response operations purposes.

The field office maintains 23 RDMRTs composed of six members per team that render service on a rotational basis. There are also 87 City/Municipal Action Team (C/MATs) stationed in the five provinces of the region that monitor the effects of disasters/calamities and conduct response operations. ###