The United Nations World Food Program (UN-WFP) here assured provincial and municipal officials of continuing relief assistance to residents in calamity-stricken areas in the different parts of the Cordillera until such time that there will be signs of recovery from the devastation of the place.

The UN-WFP officials conducted a rapid assessment on the condition of the different parts of the Cordillera after the onslaught of typhoon “Pepeng’’ that left nearly P2 billion in damages to infrastructure and agriculture as well as loss of at least 300 lives.

Based on their initial assessment, food, medicines, and other basic needs of the people must be delivered to the isolated communities due to the existence of numerous landslides and road cuts in the different roads linking the different provinces in the region as well as those with other neighboring provinces in the Ilocos region and the Cagayan Valley area.

Chief Superintendent Orlando Pestano, regional director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) and chairman of the Cordillera Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (CRDCC), said the relief goods and other assistance to be provided to the isolated areas will continue to be airlifted through the help of three helicopters from the Philippine Air Force who have continuously provide the CRDCC with air support for the transport of goods.

Aside from the military choppers, however, he declined to divulge the amount of assistance the UN-WFP will be extending to the calamity victims since they are still assessing the extent of damage the region suffered from the typhoon’s wrath.

Two UN choppers will be flying to town in the coming days to deliver relief goods to isolated areas in Bokod, Bakun, Kibungan, Kapangan, Buguias and other towns in Mountain province to address the complaints of people that they are now running out of food and fuel because of the continuous closure of roads leading to their respective places.