BAGUIO CITY — About 4,000 families across typhoon-stricken communities in Central Luzon received immediate relief this week, as the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and its partner local government units mobilized the distribution of rice, food packs, and hot meals to areas severely impacted by three consecutive typhoons and intensified southwest monsoon rains.
Spanning the provinces of Pampanga, Zambales, Tarlac, and Bataan, the multi-site relief operations targeted vulnerable communities near BCDA-managed development zones, where flooding disrupted livelihoods and forced thousands of families into evacuation centers.
“When communities are affected, we make sure we are there to coordinate and respond alongside those who know the ground best. We are committed to supporting our local government partners not only in development, but especially in times of crisis,” BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua M. Bingcang said.
In Tarlac, BCDA turned over 100 sacks of rice to the Capas municipal government and distributed hot meals to evacuees at the Sto. Domingo 1 Evacuation Center.
Bamban Mayor Joey Salting likewise worked with BCDA to provide food packs and hot meals to displaced families in their municipality.
Additional deliveries were also coordinated in San Jose through local disaster response teams. In Sta. Juliana, an upland Aeta community, 70 indigenous families received rice and essential goods from BCDA, as part of a broader effort to reach geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
In Bataan, BCDA turned over 100 sacks of rice to the Municipality of Dinalupihan, received by Mayor German “Tong” Santos, to assist flood-hit barangays surrounding BCDA estate zones.
In Hermosa, the final leg of the Bataan operation, Mayor Anne Lorraine Adorable-Inton received rice donations for distribution to affected residents.
To aid more communities affected by the heavy rains and flooding, BCDA on Friday, continued to mobilize additional relief packages to reach more calamity-hit areas in Pampanga and Zambales, with over 50 sacks of rice turned over to the Mabalacat City Social Welfare and Development Office through Mayor Gerald Guttrie “Geld” Aquino.
The BCDA and Ayala Corporation also turned over another hundred sacks of rice and food packages to the City Government of Olongapo, as received by Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr.
The BCDA team then visited Barangay Diaz in Porac, where over 150 Aeta families received rice, food packs, and hot meals. This leg was also carried out in partnership with Ayala Corporation, which contributed additional food packages for the beneficiaries.
These relief efforts were conducted in close partnership with local government units and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
BCDA also conducted post-flood inspections in critical areas to evaluate long-term infrastructure vulnerabilities, including slope protection, drainage systems, and transport corridor access under extreme weather pressure.
The BCDA and NLEX Corporation conducted an onsite inspection and assessment of the Pasig — Potrero Bridge of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, ensuring that it remains stable and safe for public use. — Artemio A. Dumlao
