The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has assured the continuous relief assistance to families affected by the abnormal activities of the Mayon volcano with the 300 metric tons of rice donated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF-Japan).
During the ceremonial turnover of donations on Thursday (August 18) at the Albay Provincial Agricultural Office, DSWD Disaster Response Response Management Bureau (DRMB) Director Michael Cristopher Mathay said the rice donation would significantly help in the relief operations and ensure that aid is extended to Mayon evacuees.
“Fully provided that’s what Secretary (Rex) Gatchalian wanted and that warehouses of DSWD should always be filled with relief goods plus non-food items so that all is well for the Mayon evacuees while staying at temporary shelters,” the DSWD director for disaster response said.
The donation from Japan is equivalent to 10,000 bags, with each bag containing 30 kilograms of rice, that are intended to be distributed to the affected population by the DSWD, the National Food Authority (NFA), and affected local government units (LGUs) such as Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, and Ligao City.
Embassy of Japan in the Philippines Minister for Economic Affairs Nihei Daisuke, ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) Secretary General Manager Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, and Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries representative Akinori Ando handed over the bags of milled rice to DSWD and Albay officials.
Director Mathay emphasized the holistic approach needed to address calamities, praising the spirit of collaboration enshrined in the APTERR agreement, and recognizing the necessity of international cooperation in facing such disaster threats.
“The Philippine government, especially the DSWD, whose mandate is to provide immediate assistance to those affected by disasters, finds comfort in Japan’s continuous life-saving interventions. This donation ensures that the necessary nutritious support will reach the most vulnerable during these uncertain times,” Dir. Mathay pointed out.
The DSWD official said that the Department is in constant coordination with the City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers to implement the distribution plan of rice per evacuation centers to ensure that everyone will receive the rice donated by the people of Japan.
This is in accordance with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s commitment to the Bicolanos that all affected families with receive their needed assistance from the agency, Dir. Mathay noted.
Mayon Volcano remains under alert level 3, which means there is still potential explosive activity within weeks or even days.
