The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Wednesday announced that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (NDRRMOC) raised its alert status from White to Blue Alert as the country braces for intensified rains from Tropical Depression “Crising” and other developing weather systems.
The alert was escalated Wednesday morning to facilitate heightened monitoring, faster coordination, and preemptive response.
With this status, key agencies including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and Philippine National Police (PNP) have activated Detailed Duty Officers to support round-the-clock operations.
The OCD said that the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) projects that Crising could strengthen into a tropical storm by July 17, potentially reaching severe tropical storm or even typhoon status as it nears northern Luzon by Friday evening.
Meanwhile, two additional Tropical Cyclone-Like Vortices (TCLVs) are being closely monitored within or near the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). While these may not intensify into full tropical cyclones, their interaction with the enhanced Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) could trigger heavy to torrential rainfall, especially in northern and western parts of the country.
In line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for a whole-of-government response, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has called on both uniformed and civilian agencies to bolster early preparedness and community-level coordination.
A virtual Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is now active, enabling real-time coordination across regions. Local government units (LGUs) have likewise been advised to activate contingency plans, prepare relief supplies, and issue timely advisories to at-risk communities, particularly those in low-lying and coastal areas.
As this developed, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it has prepositioned more than three million boxes of family food packs (FFPs) nationwide.
Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said on Wednesday the agency is coordinating closely with local government units (LGUs) to ensure the swift delivery of relief supplies, particularly in areas that might be heavily affected by the tropical cyclone.
“In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of an omnipresent disaster response, our agency field offices are in tight coordination with LGUs in Palawan, Camiguin, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands, which are expected to experience heavy rains due to cyclone ‘Crising,’” she said.
“Rest assured that the agency’s stockpiles are not only abundant but closest to communities that will need it,” Dumlao added.
Aside from the three million boxes of FFPs in 935 storage facilities nationwide, the agency also has a stockpile of P773,134,509 worth of non-food items (NFIs) such as family, hygiene, kitchen and sleeping kits; water containers; and other shelter materials that may be needed inside evacuation centers.
The DSWD’s disaster preparedness is anchored on the agency’s ‘Buong Bansa Handa,’ a program launched in 2023 based on the directive of President Marcos for fail-safe mechanisms in the country’s supply chains during times of calamities.
The program features two supply chains. The first supply chain is pulled from the enhanced and expedited production of FFPs at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City.
The second line is a private-sector driven supply chain, where the DSWD has partnered with large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors for faster procurement of relief supplies.
This was proven effective during the consecutive onset of storms in 2024, where the agency was able to haul pre-packed relief goods from partners, according to the DSWD spokesperson.
“Year-round, we commit to the daily production of new boxes of family food packs, so we won’t run out (of supplies) as distribution continues. All hands are on deck to make sure that these supplies are spread out and made accessible for immediate distribution to our disaster-hit communities. We ensure that every day, and we are intensifying it, especially this rainy season,” Dumlao said.
