The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced that all its field offices are now on full alert ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm “Tino” (international name Kalmaegi).
In a statement on Sunday, Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, the Department’s spokesperson, said that the disaster supply chain under the Bagong Bansa Handa (BBH) Program has been bolstered to ensure that relief goods are prepositioned in warehouses nationwide even before a calamity occurs.
Dumlao, who concurrently leads the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), explained that the DSWD is now using a dual supply chain system to ensure it is “present anywhere, anytime,” especially during simultaneous or large-scale disasters.
“Ang first system ay government-led kung saan mas pinalakas namin ang production at stockpiling ng family food packs. Nagdagdag tayo ng mga bodega at gumagamit din tayo ng warehouses ng LGUs through preposition agreements,” she said.
The second mechanism involves partnerships with private distributors, she added.
Dumlao noted that the DSWD is currently producing 18,000 to 20,000 family food packs per day, allowing rapid replenishment and deployment of relief goods to local government units.
This is made possible through the mechanized and manual packing systems of the Luzon and Visayas Disaster Resource Centers, she pointed out.
