Daet, Camarines Norte – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V-Bicol Region quickly responded to the catastrophic tornado in Daet, Camarines Norte on September 14, 2025.

A total of 103 families in Barangays Bibirao and Magang were affected after their homes and properties sustained damages from the aftermath. In the devastating incident, two fatalities, a 37-year-old woman and a 13-year-old boy, who lost their lives after being struck by a fallen tree. Two other individuals sustained minor injuries in the same incident.

In immediate response, the DSWD Bicol under the leadership of Regional Director Norman S. Laurio mobilized the SWAD Camarines Norte to deliver necessary assistance to the tornado-hit families.

On September 15, 2025, the social workers of Crisis Intervention Section (CIS)-Daet conducted a home visit to provide psychosocial intervention to the grieving families. This aid was intended to help the family members cope with the grief and emotional distress of losing their loved ones.

Additionally, each family received Php25,000 in funeral assistance through a guarantee letter with Funeraria Belmonte, to help them cover the burial costs.

Furthermore, today, September 17, 2025 the Agency under its Disaster Response Management Division, swiftly deployed relief operations. The agency distributred 103 Family Food Packs, 15 Hygiene Kits, 15 Kitchen Kits, 41 Sleeping Kits, and 10 Family Kits, with a total cost of Php137,319.25, providing urgent assistance to the affected families.

In a message, Regional Director Norman S. Laurio expressed empathy and assured the affected families that the help is being mobilized.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘰. 𝘞𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴,” he said.

“𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧, 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥,” RD Norman added.

Meanwhile, the Agency is currently in close coordination with Daet MSWDO and hospitals to assess the medical needs of injured victims. Continuous assessment and monitoring of the situation are being undertaken to determine additional needs and interventions for the families affected by the tornado.

Under the guidance of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who emphasized the importance of immediate and coordinated response in alleviating the plight of disaster-affected families, the Field Office V assures the public that it remains steadfast in extending compassion and responsive services to help the affected families recover and rebuild their lives.

These comprehensive relief efforts were carried out in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure timely government support to in crisis families and disaster-stricken communities.###