More than 3,000 families across three regions in Luzon were affected by Tropical Depression ''Bising'', the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said on Sunday.

Tropical Depression ''Bising'', the second tropical cyclone hit the country this year, entered and exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) last Friday.

In a radio interview, OCD Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV stated that 3,773 families or 13,006 individuals from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, and parts of Central Luzon were affected by ''Bising''.

Based on the latest report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Sunday, four families consisting of 18 individuals from Central Luzon were accommodated in an evacuation center, while 1,016 others, or 3,000 individuals, are staying outside the evacuation center.

Around 80.58 percent of the 309 families requiring assistance from Ilocos, Central Luzon and Cordillera Administrative Region were provided with food and non-food items from their local government units.

Thirteen houses were damaged by ''Bising'', with 12 at the Cordillera Administrative Region with partial damage, and one other house totally damaged in Central Luzon.

Over 70 families were affected by a landslide in Benguet on Friday morning, triggered by the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and ''Bising''.

In a report released by the NDRRMC on Sunday morning, a rain-induced landslide in Barangay Virac, Itogon occurred at 11 am, affecting 73 families, consisting of 168 individuals.

In a statement by OCD Sunday afternoon, five families affected by the landslide are staying at the Acupan Elementary School, which serves as the evacuation center, while the rest are outside the evacuation center.

Clearing efforts such as removing debris and redirecting water pathways in the affected area are ongoing.

Alejandro said that ''Bising'' brought ''minor'' effects to the country.

"Bising is minor in a way, but it showed our preparedness as we entered the typhoon season, and our preparations will now be continuous," Alejandro said.

In a separate radio interview, Social Welfare and Development Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao stated that through the "Buong Bansa Handa" program, more than three million family food packs were strategically prepositioned across the country.

The agency has over P3 billion worth of standby funds and prepositioned relief stockpile nationwide.

"We can use it to respond to the requests of the local government units affected (by the calamities), "Dumlao said.

"Because of the Buong Bansa, Handa program, the relief items were already in the soon-to-be affected communities, which is why it is easy to provide (help) to our countrymen," she added. Kate Christian Ravelo/DMS