Over 500K food packs already pre-positioned amid Paeng — DSWD

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already pre-positioned over 500,000 food packs in preparation for Tropical Storm Paeng.

"As of this morning, mayroon tayong 561,259 family food packs na available o nagkakahalagang P352 million at iba pang food and non-food items na nagkakahalaga ng P689 million na nakapre-position sa iba't ibang strategic locations. Handa po ang DSWD sa pagdating nitong Bagyong Paeng," DSWD Undersecretary Eduardo Punay said at a public briefing Thursday.

(As of this morning, we have 561,259 family food packs worth P352 million that are available and there are food and non-food items worth P689 million which were already prepositioned in different strategic locations. The DSWD is prepared for this tropical storm.)

On Thursday, state weather bureau PAGASA said Paeng has intensified into a tropical storm at 8 a.m. and "further intensification is likely while moving over warm waters of the Philippine Sea."

PAGASA has put the following areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1:

• Catanduanes
• the eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu)
• eastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, Gubat, Barcelona, Bulusan, Santa Magdalena, Irosin, Juban, Casiguran, City of Sorsogon)
• Eastern Samar
• Northern Samar
• Samar

PAGASA said Paeng is forecast to reach severe tropical storm category within 24 hours and may intensify into a typhoon by Saturday.

"The occurrence of rapid intensification in the next 72 hours is not ruled out," it added. — RSJ, GMA News