The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended over PHP1.9 million worth of relief assistance to families affected by Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi).
Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) said the humanitarian assistance of food and non-food items (FNFIs) were distributed in Bicol, Central Visayas, and Caraga.
The amount of assistance provided by the DSWD is expected to increase as concerned Field Offices (FOs) are still conducting situational analysis in their respective areas of responsibility (AORs).
As of press time, some 53,570 families or 175,531 individuals are currently taking temporary shelter in 2,156 evacuation centers in the regions of Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga.
Meanwhile, some 20,565 affected families or 65,751 persons are temporarily staying with their relatives or friends.
Aside from the FNFIs, the department also deployed its mobile kitchen to provide hot meals to locally stranded individuals (LSIs) in Matnog Port in Sorsogon province.
“Nung isang araw pa natin mino-monitor itong sitwasyon and nakipag-coordinate na rin po ang ating mga field offices sa kanilang mga local counterparts at inassure na naka-ready po tayo to augment their resources. Kung kakailanganin nga ng karagdagang tulong ay madali pong ma-access itong ating mga food packs and non-food items sapagkat nakalagay nga po ang mga ito sa mga lugar na posibleng madadaanan ni Bagyong Tino (We have been monitoring the situation since yesterday and we our field offices have coordinated with their local counterparts to assure that we are ready to augment their resources. If additional aid is needed, food packs and non-food items are readily accessible because they were prepositioned in areas along the path of Typhoon Tino),” Dumlao said in an interview on Tuesday.
The DSWD spokesperson assured the public that the department has not yet experienced any challenges in its disaster response operations, citing the prepositioning of relief goods under the Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program as one of the contributing factors for the immediate deployment of assistance.
The BBH employs two parallel supply chain mechanisms for disaster preparedness and response.
The first supply chain features a national and local government-driven supply chain that aims to increase the production capacities and processes of the Luzon Disaster Resource Center (LDRC) in Pasay City, the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, and the warehouse and storage facilities across all DSWD Field Offices.
The second supply chain, on the other hand, is through framework agreements of the DSWD FOs with established large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors to leverage on their technical expertise and resources to create a private sector-driven supply chain.
“Itong paghahanda na isinasagawa natin ay alinsunod doon sa kautusan ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na tiyakin po natin yung kapanatagan ng kalooban ng ating mga kababayan na naapektuhan ng iba’t ibang mga kalamidad (Our preparations are in line with the directives of President Marcos to ensure the peace of mind of our countrymen who will be affected by various calamities),” Dumlao said.
Meanwhile, she reminded the public to heed government advisories for their own safety and coordinate with local authorities for the orderly distribution of assistance. (PNA)