Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian flew to Negros Island today to check on the situation of evacuees in the cities of Bago and La Carlota and the Municipality of La Castellana.
DSWD Field Office 6 – Western Visayas Regional Director Arwin Razo earlier reported to Secretary Gatchalian that La Castellana has the most number of evacuees since its residents were within the 6-kilometer radius which was declared a danger zone by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
“Per feedback Sec, families were evacuated especially in high areas communities of Negros Occidental especially in the cities of La Carlota and Bago and La Castellana town. Wala pong recorded another eruption,” FO-6 Director told the DSWD chief.
DSWD Field Office 7 – Central Visayas Regional Director Shalaine Sun-Lucero reported that on the side of Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, 50 families are currently staying in two evacuation centers after the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.
The DSWD’s Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu is now busy producing 5,000 family food packs (FFPs) bound for Negros Oriental.
This will serve as additional stockpile to the prepositioned FFPs in Guihulngan Warehouse in Negros Oriental which is managed by FO-7.
DSWD chief assures all Kanlaon-affected families to get timely relief aid
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian (DSWD) assured on Tuesday (December 10) that all families affected by the restiveness of Mt. Kanlaon will receive timely assistance from the government until the situation stabilizes.
The DSWD chief gave this assurance in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s directive to ensure that food, access to clean water, and other needed assistance will be extended to the affected population.
“Ang DSWD sa instruction ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr, ready na mag-supply ng tulong ng pagkain, tubig at iba pang kakailanganin ng evacuees as long as they need it,” Secretary Gatchalian told local reporters during his visit in an evacuation center in Bago City, Negros Occidental.
On orders of President Marcos, Secretary Gatchalian flew to Negros Island early Tuesday morning to personally monitor the agency’s disaster response and check on the condition of the evacuees.
During his visit to an evacuation center in Bago City, the DSWD chief personally oversaw the distribution of family food packs (FFPs), hygiene kits, and water filtration units to the evacuees.
“Kami naman sa ngalan ng DSWD, nakikipagtulungan kami sa inyong local government units (LGUs) para masiguradong may sapat na pagkain, tubig at matutulugan sa evacuation center. Siguraduhin natin na yung mga pangangailangan niyo sa loob ng evacuation center ay matugunan po natin yan,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
Based on the December 10, 6 A.M. report by the DSWD-Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication (DROMIC), around 2,000 families from 14 barangays were affected by the volcanic activities of Kanlaon Volcano. Majority of this number or 1,992 families are staying in 13 open evacuation centers across Regions 6 (Western Visayas) and 7 (Central Visayas).
Based on the same data, the DSWD has so far extended over Php620,000 worth of relief aid consisting of food and non-food items (FNFIs).
The DSWD chief reiterated that the Department is well-equipped to meet the relief requirements of affected families, citing the prepositioning of 80,000 FFPs in Negros Island ahead of the eruption.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang response efforts natin. Kung matatandaan niyo lagi nating sinasabi may mga prepositioned goods tayo. So, yun ang gagamitin muna. Pero nagpapadala rin tayo ng re-supply din… right now sa huli nating talaan, nasa more than 2,000 yung number of affected families so we are more than ready to meet the requirements,” Secretary Gatchalian emphasized.
Aside from his visit to the evacuation center, the DSWD chief met with Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, Bago City Vice Mayor Ramon Torres, and provincial council members to discuss the ongoing relief operations and coordinate steps for the agency’s augmentation support to LGUs.
Secretary Gatchalian was accompanied by DSWD Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Diana Rose Cajipe, Field Office (FO) 6 – Western Visayas Regional Director Arwin Razon, and FO-7 Central Visayas Director Shalaine Marie Lucero.
DSWD chief visits Kanlaon evacuees; hands out over Php590K-worth of FFPs
Following the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday (December 10) personally visited the evacuation centers in Negros Occidental where he led the distribution of over Php590,000 worth of family food packs (FFPs) to those affected by the volcanic unrest.
Under orders from President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., the DSWD chief made the rounds of the three evacuation centers in the Negros Occidental province, where he oversaw the distribution of close to 1,000 boxes of FFPs to Kanlaon-affected families.
“Ang assurance ho ng ating Pangulo, habang nandito kayo tutulungan kayo ng DSWD—ng aming Departamento — kaya huwag ho kayong mag-alalala. Talagang pinapunta ako ng ating Pangulo para tingnan ang inyong kalagayan,” Secretary Gatchalian told the evacuees at the La Castellana Elementary School.
Earlier in the day, Secretary Gatchalian visited the evacuation centers in the Cities of Bago and La Carlota.
Aside from the FFPs, Secretary Gatchalian also extended non-food items (NFIs) such as family kits, hygiene kits, and led the turnover of water-filtration units for the use of affected local government units (LGUs).
The portable filtration kits, according to the DSWD chief, will be critical to ensure access to clean and potable water amid the threat of the volcanic emission to water resources and on the overall health of affected families and individuals.
Also forming part of the agency’s proactive response efforts, the DSWD Field Office (FO) 6 – Western Visayas and FO 7 – Central Visayas deployed their respective Mobile Command Centers (MCCs) to provide additional service to evacuees.
Equipped with stable internet connection and power source, the MCC can extend free power supply and internet connectivity to disaster-affected individuals, helping them stay informed with the latest news and maintain communication with their families.
The DSWD chief also assured the evacuees that the national government is on top of the situation and is actively coordinating with the LGUs to ensure harmonized response efforts.
“Sunod lang po tayo kay Mayor kasi mapanganib pa po talagang bumalik sa mga lugar niyo. Alam kong medyo hindi komportable dito pero nandito po ang pamahalaang nasyonal at nandito din ang local government at ang provincial government. Tutulong at tutulong po kami sa inyo,” Secretary Gatchalian said as he urged the evacuees to heed the warnings of the authorities.
Aside from the evacuation center visits, the DSWD chief also met with local officials and ensured them of continued augmentation support not just from the agency, but from the national government itself.
Secretary Gatchalian was accompanied by Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), Field Office (FO) 6 – Western Visayas Regional Director Arwin Razon, and FO-7 Central Visayas Director Shalaine Marie Lucero.
