The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already released 75,000 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) to local government units (LGUs) in quake-hit Cebu province that can be distributed to Cebuano families affected by the September 30 magnitude 6.9 tremor.
The 75,000 released FFPs is part of the 142,000 FFPs requested by the 11 quake-hit Cebu LGUs whose mayors were met by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian during his rounds in the Central Visayas island province this week.
“Today (October 3), we released 75,000 FFPs. By tomorrow (October 4), done na tayo,” Secretary Gatchalian told the Field Office 7- Central Visayas which the DSWD chief relayed to his communications team.
The DSWD’s FO-7 is on double time to assist LGUs in their disaster response. The Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City is also on high gear as volunteers help in the production of the much-needed FFPs.
The FO-7 has deployed its Quick Response Teams (QRTs) in the municipalities of San Remigio and Medellin in Northeastern Cebu to render disaster relief operations.
The FO-7 also continues to lead the profiling of the affected families through the use of Family Access Cards in Emergencies and Disasters (FACED) in the City of Bogo, which was the hardest hit by the powerful temblor.
Nearby DSWD Field Offices in Western Visayas and the Bicol Region are also on standby to assist in Cebu’s disaster operations. (MBM)
DSWD deploys 3 more mobile kitchens to prep home cooked meals for quake-hit families
Despite staying in temporary shelters, families affected by the magnitude 6.9 tremor will still have a taste of home-cooked food as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) deployed three more mobile kitchens to serve hot meals in select evacuation sites.
Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the agency’s Field Offices in CALABARZON, Eastern and Western Visayas have sent their mobile kitchens to augment the resources of Field Office 7- Central Visayas to ensure that Cebuanos will not go hungry during these difficult times as instructed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“Each region is allocated with a mobile kitchen as part of the Department’s intensified disaster response initiatives. The food truck facilities were distributed to the Field Offices in the first quarter of the year,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said on Saturday (October 4).
The mobile kitchen of Field Office Central Visayas has been deployed to Bogo City since October 1.
With thousands of affected families displaced by the temblor that damaged Cebu’s Northeastern towns and cities on September 30, the Department has provided a steady supply of relief items composed of family food packs (FFPs), ready to eat food (RTEF), and hot meals.
As of October 3, the DSWD has provided a total of 75,100 FFPs to augment the resources of the 11 local government units (LGUs) which were hardest hit by the earthquake, according to the DSWD spokesperson.
“With extended period of disaster relief and recovery, the provision of hot meals is important to prevent the affected individuals and families from suffering FFP-fatigue. Moreso, the DSWD recognizes the importance of ensuring that evacuees have access to nutritious food at this unfortunate time,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
The mobile kitchen from Western Visayas arrived early on Saturday (October 4) and proceeded to the San Remigio Sports Complex in San Remigio town.
The mobile kitchens from Field Offices CALABARZON and Eastern Visayas are now en route to Cebu and are expected to arrive and be operational either by Sunday (October 5) or Monday (October 6).
To ensure efficient assistance for quake- affected Cebuanos, the DSWD and its Field Offices are embodying the bayanihan spirit in implementing the full arsenal of disaster response interventions in Cebu.
Aside from the mobile kitchens, the different DSWD Field Offices also sent their disaster teams to assist in the relief operations of the Central Visayas Field Office. (GDVF)
DSWD gearing to roll out emergency cash aid for quake-hit Cebuanos
Financial assistance is in the pipeline for families affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu province, with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) set to provide cash support as part of its broader social protection interventions to help survivors bounce back from the disaster.
Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the agency is already gathering necessary reports from partner local government units (LGUs) to prepare the financial assistance under its Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT).
“Ngayon, kino-consolidate na natin yung data mula sa ating mga partner LGUs and that will be reference natin sa pagco-compute para makapag-proceed tayo sa distribution ng financial assistance,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said during the Saturday (October 4) New Forum at the Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
The ECT is the DSWD’s way of helping disaster-hit families recover faster by giving them unconditional cash aid. It serves as a bridge between immediate relief, ongoing humanitarian response, and the early steps toward rebuilding their lives.
While this broader financial aid is still being prepared, the DSWD has already extended burial and cash assistance to the bereaved families of those who perished, according to the agency spokesperson.
“In Cebu, actually, nakapag-provide na tayo ng financial assistance doon sa mga pamilya na ikinalulungkot po natin ay namatayan po ng miyembro ng pamilya. So, we already provided Php10,000 to them and on top of that, we shouldered po yung kanilang funeral expenses through agency-issued guarantee letters,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao said injured residents were also provided the needed support.
In line with the instructions of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the DSWD is tapping all available programs to bring a sense of relief to quake-survivors.
“’Yung mga nasugatan dahil sa lindol ay atin pong tinulungan through the medical assistance ng Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS),” Asst. Secretary Dumlao told reporters at the forum.
Under the DSWD’s AICS, the agency provides financial aid either in outright cash or guarantee letter to help in-crisis individuals access crucial medical services.
The DSWD also expressed gratitude to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for replenishing its Quick Response Fund (QRF), emphasizing that the augmentation will go a long way in sustaining round-the-clock humanitarian operations amid the string of calamities that have hit the country since September.
Aside from fulfilling the target of 140,000 family food packs (FFPs) for Cebu relief operations, Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out that non-food items such as tents are also being delivered to families to help put a roof over their heads.
“With these, we were able to address those who refuse to return to their respective homes dahil natatakot pa sa mga aftershocks,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
These form part of the over Php36.3 million-worth of DSWD relief assistance for Cebuanos hit by the powerful September 30 tremor. (LSJ)
DSWD’s relief ops for Typhoon Paolo continue as agency aids quake-hit Cebuano families
Even as relief operations continue in areas hit by Typhoon Opong and the recent strong earthquake in Cebu, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has immediately extended assistance to families in Northern and Central Luzon who were affected by Typhoon Paolo.
“Hindi pa man natatapos ‘yung atin pong pagtulong sa mga kababayan natin na naapektuhan ni Bagyong Opong at ng malakas na lindol, tayo rin po ay agad na tumulong doon sa mga kababayan natin sa Region 1 (Ilocos Region), Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) na naapektuhan naman po ni Bagyong Paolo,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said during the Saturday (October 4) News Forum at the Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, told reporters that even if heavy rainfall still persisted on Friday (October 3), the Department’s concerned Field Offices have already released 862 family food packs (FFPs) to Benguet; 380 FFPs to Pangasinan; 187 FFPs to Aurora; and 295 FFPs to Quirino province.
“As we speak, nagpapatuloy po ‘yung isinasagawang disaster response operations,” the DSWD spokesperson pointed out.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao said the DSWD remains equipped with adequate relief supplies, citing the number of prepositioned goods that can be used for continuing disaster operations.
“For Field Office 1, we have more than 46,000 FFPs prepositioned in our warehouses. In Field Office 2, we have more than 135,000 prepositioned and then in Region 3, we have more than 254,000 food packs na naka-preposition,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao told the Saturday News Forum.
In Aurora province alone, which was among provinces that bore the brunt of Typhoon Paolo, the DSWD maintains over 26,000 boxes of FFPs.
Based on the latest Disaster Response Operations, Information and Communication (DROMIC) report, Typhoon Paolo-spawned rains and flooding have affected 66,993 families or 212,022 individuals in 659 barangays in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and CAR.
There are 6,793 families or 19,777 persons currently taking temporary shelter in 500 evacuation centers across four affected regions.
The DSWD assured the public that in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, relief and early recovery interventions for Paolo-hit families will continue seamlessly despite simultaneous disaster response operations nationwide.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao said the DSWD’s ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes stand among available resources most-suited to the needs of Paolo-hit Pinoys.
“Yung pong ready-to-eat food po within 48 hours after a disaster strikes. Ito po ‘yung binabanggit namin kasi ito po ‘yung period na madalas walang kuryente, hindi pa nakaka-set up ng community kitchen, so itong ready-to-eat hindi na kailangan iinit, hindi na kailangan iluto, ready for consumption,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said. (LSJ)
