The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday assured that the agency is prepared to respond to the needs of families affected by Tropical Storm “Opong,” the latest weather system to hit the country in just a week.
“Gusto kong malaman ng ating mga kababayan na ang DSWD ay handang-handa na umagapay sa mga magiging biktima, handang-handa tayong rumesponde sa magiging mga pangangailangan at masamang epekto nitong darating na Bagyong Opong,” DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a social media post.
According to the 6:00 a.m. report of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Information Communication (DROMIC), the agency maintains more than Php3.1 billion worth of standby funds and stockpile in the Central Office and across all Field Offices.
Included in the stockpile are more than 2.5 million family food packs (FFPs) worth over P1.6 billion; more than P131 million other food items; over Php752 million non-food relief items; and more than P107 million other non-food items that are strategically prepositioned across all areas of the country.
“Makakasiguro kayo na bukod sa food packs, bukod sa mobile kitchen, pati na rin ang financial assistance pinaghahandaan na ng DSWD. Alinsunod ‘to sa utos ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,” the DSWD chief assured.
Meanwhile, some 14,873 families or 46,628 persons in Regions 1 (Ilocos Region), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, 5 (Bicol Region), 6 (Western Visayas), 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), National Capital Region (NCR), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were displaced by the combined effects of the southwest monsoon and Tropical Cyclones Mirasol and Nando.
Of those affected, 7,966 families or 23,937 individuals are still sheltered in 459 evacuation centers.
Gatchalian said the DSWD and its affiliates have already delivered 11,285 FFPs to typhoon-hit regions.
Of this number, 5,042 FFPs went to the Bicol Region; 4,736 were delivered to Cagayan Valley; 679 to CAR; 601 to Central Luzon; and 227 to Western Visayas.
