Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin Tulfo ordered its field offices (FOs) to remain on standby and continue coordinating closely with provinces affected by Typhoon Neneng.

This, as DSWD augmented over PHP12.2 million worth of food and non-food items to areas affected by Neneng in Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

As of Wednesday, the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) said about 163 families or 578 individuals are taking temporary shelter in 12 evacuation centers while 308 families or 1,111 persons are temporarily staying with their relatives/friends in Cagayan Valley and CAR.

Meanwhile, the DSWD said it has total standby resources worth over PHP1.8 billion composed of more than PHP845 million standby funds, PHP327 million worth of family food packs, and more than PHP678 million other food and non-food items.

The DSWD also urged the public to remain vigilant and to continue to follow the warning advisories of their local chief executives to avoid any untoward incidents due to the effects of the typhoon.

On Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Cagayan Valley, CAR, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, and the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands may experience moderate to at times heavy rains due to Tropical Depression Obet.

The weather bureau said as of 11 a.m., Obet maintained its strength as it moved westward over the Philippine Sea east of extreme northern Luzon.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan, particularly Santa Ana and Gonzaga. (PNA)