The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has delivered assistance worth at least PHP3.6 million to families severely affected by Typhoon Aghon, DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said on Thursday.

“The DSWD, through its field offices (FOs), already handed over assistance to the localities in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas affected by the onslaught of the typhoon,” said Dumlao, who is also assistant secretary for Disaster Response Management Group.

The typhoon has inflicted damage to about 36,549 families, consisting of 128,511 individuals, from 773 barangays in the National Capital Region (NCR), and the regions of Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.

About 652 families or 2,321 individuals are also taking temporary shelter in 57 evacuation centers set up in the NCR and Calabarzon, Dumalo said.

She said the DSWD remains on alert to give immediate aid to typhoon-hit localities, especially in regions with a high incidence of displaced families.

“Our FOs are also continuously distributing family food packs to the affected families. On May 26, our FO 5 (Bicol), together with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development of Albay, provided hot meals to the stranded passengers in the different ports in the region,” Dumlao said.

She said the DSWD maintains more than PHP2.8 billion worth of standby and stockpile funds, which may support the relief needs of the families affected by Aghon through inter-FO augmentation. (PNA)