The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided more than 303,000 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) to families and individuals affected by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit several areas in Mindanao.
“As of this morning, more than 303,000 family food packs na yung distributed sa mga pamilyang naapektuhan. Itutuloy natin ito dahil batay doon sa assessment din ng DSWD, together with the local government units (LGUs), ay kinakailangan pa nating i-assist itong mga naapektuhan (more than 303,000 family food packs have been distributed to affected families. We will continue this because based on the assessment of the DSWD and the LGUs, we still need to assist them),” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the department’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said in a radio interview.
Dumlao said the agency is ready and has adequate relief supplies to provide additional assistance if needed and at the request of the affected LGUs.
“On the part of the DSWD, we are ready, we have more than 4.7 million family food packs sa ating national stockpile. Kung kinakailangan pa ng karagdagang augmentation support mula sa ating pamahalaang nasyonal ay gagawin po yan ng DSWD (in our national stockpile. If additional augmentation support from the national government is still needed, the DSWD will provide),” she said.
Based on the latest Disaster Response Operations Monitoring, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) report, the DSWD has provided PHP223.4 million in humanitarian assistance, including FFPs, ready-to-eat food (RTEF), cash aid, and non-food items.
The DSWD also ensured that all affected areas would be reached, especially geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
In hard-to-reach areas, food and non-food items are being transported by air and sea, in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Philippine Air Force (PAF), and other government agencies.
“There were some challenges in the past few days dahil nga hirap pang puntahan (because some areas are still difficult to reach), but we work closely with the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Air Force para ma-airlift yung (to airlift) family food packs and non-food items. Again, ito ay dahil na rin sa utos ng Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na tiyakin natin na walang pamilyang Pilipino ang magugutom at walang maiiwanan (this is in line with the directive of President Marcos to ensure that no Filipino family would go hungry and get left behind),” Dumlao said.
She said the DSWD is also preparing to provide emergency cash transfer assistance to quake-affected families in coordination with their respective LGUs. (PNA)