On orders of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the agency’s Field Office (FO) 11 (Davao Region) has activated its Mobile Command Center (MCC) following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck 62 kilometers southeast of Manay, Davao Oriental at around 9:43 a.m. on Friday.
Gatchalian also immediately directed the regional quick response team (QRT) to ensure readiness of all personnel and logistics support for possible relief and response operations, according to a news release.
“If it’s safe to travel, proceed to (Davao) Oriental. Bring the mobile kitchen and command center,” Gatchalian instructed DSWD FO 11 Regional Director Roelle Aradanas shortly after the tremor.
The MCC is a fully equipped operations hub enabling real-time communication, monitoring and coordination with field teams, even in areas where communication lines may be unstable.
It is designed for rapid deployment during emergencies to support both local governments and affected communities.
Gatchalian reminded Aradanas to prioritize the safety of the field personnel before mobilization.
“Make sure it’s safe to go. Don’t rush in if it’s not yet safe. Your safety and your staff’s safety come first,” he told the FO 11 chief.
Meanwhile, Aradanas reported via text message that initial coordination with Manay Mayor Jon Marco Dayanghirang is underway to assess the situation in the quake’s epicenter.
As of Friday, the DSWD FO 11 has 103,614 family food packs (FFPs), 5,000 boxes of ready-to-eat food and 30,019 non-food items (NFIs) strategically prepositioned in the region.
The NFIs include 4,640 family kits; 124 hygiene kits; 5,893 kitchen kits; 7,109 sleeping kits; 504 family tents; 11,108 modular tents; 291 laminated sacks; and 350 tarpaulin rolls.
In Davao Oriental, there are 7,256 FFPs and 350 NFIs already prepositioned consisting of 100 family kits, 100 kitchen kits, 100 sleeping kits and 50 modular tents. (PNA)