CITY OF SAN FERNANDO Some 16,000 family food packs have been prepared by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Office III as Tropical Storm Florita continues to batter many parts of the country.

The food packs are for residents who might be affected by torrential rains, flooding and pre-emptive evacuation measures in areas in Central Luzon.

DSWD Regional Information Officer Reiner Gorospe said the agency is taking a proactive stance to provide a timely response as part of its disaster preparedness efforts.

He said that a total 16,654 family food packs worth about P8.28 million, are now available at the DSWD’s warehouses in the region.

Gorospe added that aside from the family food packs, non-food items worth some P6.38 million are available for distribution to the provinces.

The non-food items consist of family kits, sleeping kits, hygiene kits, mosquito nets, laminated sacks, plastic mats, modular tents, and kitchen utensils.

“This is to ensure that there are supplies which can be readily and easily accessed in the wake of Tropical Storm Florita,” he said.

In its 11:00 am August 23 bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said “Florita” made landfall over Maconacon, Isabela on Tuesday. It was spotted over the coastal waters of Maconacon, Isabela as of 10 a.m. and made landfall at 10:30 a.m.

Moving northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), Florita packs maximum sustained winds of 110 kph and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

The Central Luzon provinces of Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan and Bataan, as of this posting, have been experiencing moderate to heavy with at times intense rains.

Florita is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday morning, Pagasa said.