Some 2,519 Aeta families in 11 remote villages in eastern Botolan received food supplies on Sunday, September 6, as the provincial government intensified relief operations amid continued rains brought by the southwest monsoon or “habagat.”

The provincial government and Botolan LGU distributed 4,564 cartons of family food packs to the affected communities, with the Philippine Air Force (PAF) airlifting supplies to nine villages while carabao-drawn carts transported provisions to two others.

Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said the relief operation addressed the immediate needs of upland communities whose farming activities and access to lowland markets had been disrupted by inclement weather.

The beneficiaries were from Villar, Moraza, Belbel, Burgos, Nacolcol, Palis, Maguisguis, Cabatuan, Owaog Nebloc, Malomboy and Poonbato, located 25 to 30 kilometers from the Botolan town proper.

The operation was supervised by Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head Rolex Estella and Botolan MDRRMO head Andy Divino, in coordination with the PAF and Philippine Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion.

Estella said separate landing sites were established in Villar, Poonbato and Cabatuan to allow residents from nearby communities to collect the airlifted food packs. The operation lasted more than seven hours.

Continuous heavy rains have made the upland villages difficult to reach due to strong river currents along the Bucao River and its tributaries draining from Mount Pinatubo.

Ebdane earlier ordered disaster officials to closely monitor lahar channels in the province amid forecasts of continued heavy rainfall.

Zambales has been under a state of calamity since Aug. 19 after the province recorded more than ₱591.98 million in agricultural and infrastructure damage from the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones.