With more than three million boxes of family food packs (FFPs) prepositioned nationwide, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) expressed readiness to provide relief items to families who will be needing aid amid the threat of tropical depression ‘Crising.’
Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said on Wednesday the agency is coordinating closely with local government units (LGUs) to ensure the swift delivery of relief supplies, particularly in areas that might be heavily affected by the tropical cyclone.
“In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of an omnipresent disaster response, our agency field offices are in tight coordination with LGUs in Palawan, Camiguin, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands, which are expected to experience heavy rains due to cyclone ‘Crising,’” she said.
“Rest assured that the agency’s stockpiles are not only abundant but closest to communities that will need it,” Dumlao added.
Aside from the three million boxes of FFPs in 935 storage facilities nationwide, the agency also has a stockpile of P773,134,509 worth of non-food items (NFIs) such as family, hygiene, kitchen and sleeping kits; water containers; and other shelter materials that may be needed inside evacuation centers.
The DSWD’s disaster preparedness is anchored on the agency’s ‘Buong Bansa Handa,’ a program launched in 2023 based on the directive of President Marcos for fail-safe mechanisms in the country’s supply chains during times of calamities.
The program features two supply chains. The first supply chain is pulled from the enhanced and expedited production of FFPs at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City.
The second line is a private-sector driven supply chain, where the DSWD has partnered with large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors for faster procurement of relief supplies.
This was proven effective during the consecutive onset of storms in 2024, where the agency was able to haul pre-packed relief goods from partners, according to the DSWD spokesperson.
“Year-round, we commit to the daily production of new boxes of family food packs, so we won’t run out (of supplies) as distribution continues. All hands are on deck to make sure that these supplies are spread out and made accessible for immediate distribution to our disaster-hit communities. We ensure that every day, and we are intensifying it, especially this rainy season,” Dumlao said.
