The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has placed its Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) on “Blue Alert” status as it closely tracks Typhoon Saudel, an approaching tropical cyclone expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday, August 24, where it will be locally named “Obet.”
The adjustment follows NDRRMC Memorandum No. 230, Series of 2026, which downgraded the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center’s alert status from red to blue effective August 20. Despite the lowered alert level, DSWD Spokesperson and Disaster Response and Management Group Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao assured on Sunday that monitoring and inter-agency coordination remain active, both to support communities recovering from recent storms and the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) and to respond to any impact from the incoming typhoon.
Following directives from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the agency has prepared significant relief stockpiles for rapid deployment. As of August 22, the DSWD maintains over 3.7 million boxes of family food packs (FFPs) stored in strategic hubs nationwide, alongside P667 million in standby funds. Stockpiles include over 369,000 FFPs at the Luzon Disaster Resource Center in Pasay City, 512,000 FFPs at the Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Mandaue City, and 174,000 FFPs at the Mindanao Disaster Resource Center in Butuan City. DSWD response teams remain on standby for immediate mobilization.
Dumlao urged the public to stay vigilant, take necessary precautions against potential flooding and landslides caused by continuous heavy rains, and follow safety advisories issued by local officials.