In the wake of Super Typhoon Pepito’s impact on Luzon, the Cordillera region has seen a surge in humanitarian aid. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Cordillera has been actively involved in distributing relief, with 3,500 family food packs recently delivered to a satellite warehouse in Apayao province. This delivery is part of a larger allocation of 10,000 food packs from the national resource center, aimed at supporting the region declared under a state of calamity due to recent typhoon devastation.
As of Sunday afternoon, the DSWD-Cordillera reported holding 58,685 family food packs valued at PHP42 million and 24,779 non-food item packs worth PHP52 million. DSWD-Cordillera Director Maria Aplaten has been leading the distribution efforts, including in Itogon, Benguet, emphasizing the ongoing need to support local government units as typhoons continue to affect the region.
In addition to food and non-food items, financial assistance is being provided through the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, offering PHP5,000 to affected families. This aid is complemented by local government initiatives, which include distributing construction supplies to aid in recovery efforts.
The DSWD is also focusing on psychosocial support for those in evacuation centers, part of a broader recovery strategy. Meanwhile, the Cordillera Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has issued warnings for residents along the Agno River to remain indoors due to water releases from the Binga Dam in Itogon, prompted by heavy rainfall. The National Power Corporation reported that six gates of the Binga Dam and eight gates of the Ambuklao Dam in Bokod were open to manage water levels.