MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the national government has prepositioned some P2.88-billion worth of aid in different parts of the country as Typhoon Carina continued to batter parts of the Philippines.

The National Capital Region (NCR) and other parts of Luzon were submerged in floods after Typhoon Carina — enhanced by the southwest monsoon — brought non-stop rains since Tuesday.

“We have P2.88-billion worth of prepositioned aid and close to 4,500 personnel on standby for search, rescue, and retrieval operations,” the President said in a statement on X.

“I have instructed all concerned agencies to provide swift assistance to all those affected by Typhoon #CarinaPH and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon,” he said.

Wet Wednesday morn in Metro Manila due to habagat

The government also provided some P43.15 million in assistance to around 770,000 individuals affected by the southwest monsoon in Visayas and Mindanao over the last week, he said. 

Marcos said he would hold a situation briefing “to assess the current situation and ensure that all necessary support is provided promptly and effectively.”

Carina is forecast to steadily intensify and may reach its peak intensity prior to its landfall over the northern portion of Taiwan Wednesday afternoon or early evening. 

The typhoon will cross the rugged terrain of Taiwan and exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Wednesday night or Thursday early morning. 

It will then make its final landfall over southeastern China Thursday morning or early afternoon.

Gale-force gusts to lash 13 areas; Carina heads towards Taiwan