The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to augment the resources of local government units (LGUs) that are still reeling from the effects of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, an agency official said on Monday (October 28).
“Under the directives of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the DSWD still has sufficient stockpiles prepositioned in the agency’s hubs, spokes, and last mile warehouses in all FOs (Field Offices) to meet the requirements of LGUs for their respective disaster operations,” Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) and Concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) Leo Quintilla said.
As of 6 a.m. of October 27, a total of 672,837 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) have been released by the DSWD to the LGUs of the disaster-affected regions.
More than 200,000 boxes of FFPs were delivered to Bicol Region alone, which was the hardest-hit region by the weather disturbance, according to the DSWD official.
Of the total number, 78,613 boxes of FFPs were brought to Camarines Sur; 61,742 to Albay; 41,553 to Camarines Norte; 17,536 to Sorsogon; and 11,881 to Catanduanes. A total of 31 boxes of FFPs were also given to stranded passengers in Cataingan in Masbate.
SAS Quintilla also reported that as of press time, the agency has 331,354 boxes of FFPs available in the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City, while 207,048 boxes of FFPs are currently prepositioned at the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu.
Some 1,329,331 boxes of FFPs are also available at all DSWD FOs ready to be tapped for the affected regions under the agency’s interoperability scheme in times of disasters.
Two vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) carrying a total of 14,000 boxes of FFPs from the VDRC departed on the morning of October 28 from the Port of Cebu going to Bicol Region.
“We are expecting that more assistance will be provided to affected residents within the week. Our DRMG is also preparing for the early recovery phase to help all disaster-affected citizens in restoring their damaged homes,” SAS Quintilla said.
DSWD has sufficient stockpile of FFPs in Batanes amid Tropical Storm Leon
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has sufficient stockpile of family food packs (FFPs) in the island province of Batanes which is directly in the path of Tropical Storm Leon.
As early as Wednesday (October 23), the DSWD’s National Resource Operations Center (NROC) was able to load 5,500 boxes of FFPs to a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship at Pier 13 in the Port of Manila bound for Batanes. The PCG vessel is expected to arrive in Batanes either on October 30 or October 31.
Based on the NROC records, 1,658 boxes of FFPs has been prepositioned in Batanes with 674 FFPs in Itbayat; 387 FFPs in Sabtang; 46 FFPs in Ivana and 551 FFPs in Uyugan.
“When the PCG vessel arrives with 5,500 FFPs, the total prepositioned food packs in Batanes will be 7,158 by October 31,” Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) and Concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) Leo Quintilla said on Monday (October 28).
SAS Quintilla said water filtration kit that produces potable water has also been deployed to the local government unit (LGU) of Batanes during the October 4 visit to the island province of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
The DSWD Field Office 2-Cagayan Valley distributed the 20 units of water filtration kits from the firm Waves For Water to families affected by Typhoon #JulianPH that severely battered the province of Batanes.
The portable water filtration kit, whose 0.1 micron filters can remove cholera, salmonella, E. Coli, coliform bacteria, includes a bucket adapter filter assembly, drill bit, filter hanger, cleaning plunger and instruction materials.
The portable water filtration system can be deployed to evacuation centers or communities where water sources and distribution system are affected or rendered damaged during natural calamities.
Close to 200K food packs released by DSWD to Cam Sur, Cam Norte, Albay
Nearly 200,000 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) have already been released by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to the local government units (LGUs) of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Albay which were the three provinces that bore the brunt of Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Kristine in the Bicol Region.
“We have seen the devastations brought about by Kristine in these provinces. As what Secretary Rex Gatchalian said during a briefing with President Marcos, responding to the devastating impact of Kristine in the Bicol Region is the top concern, this is why the DSWD made sure to provide the needed support to the LGUs in the three provinces,” Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) and Concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) Leo Quintilla said.
As of 6 a.m. of October 27, a total of 78,613 boxes of FFPs were delivered to Camarines Sur; 61,742 FFPs to Albay; and 41,553 FFPs to Camarines Norte.
In Camarines Sur, majority of the FFPs were given to the provincial LGU with 19,900 boxes. Naga City was provided with 15,000 FFPs while Iriga City was given 3,446 boxes.
The municipalities that received FFP augmentation were Baao (1,000), Bato (4,246), Bula (5,328), Calabanga (31), Camaligan (750), Canaman (5,400), Caramoan (1,945), Del Gallego (864), Gainza (500), Garchitorena (5,443), Magarao (1,805), Milaor (133), Minalabac (500), Nabua (2,600), Pasacao ( 102), Pili ( 868), Presentacio (515), Sipocot (982), Tigaon (3055), and Tinambac (2,500).
The 3rd District of Camarines Sur was also provided with FFPs support of 1,700 boxes.
In Albay, the FFPs were distributed in the cities of Legazpi (3,000), Ligao (5,150), and Tabaco (3,440); and in the municipalities of Camalig (1,700), Daraga (1,000), Guinobatan (5,150), Jovellar (2,347), Libon (8,630), Malilipot (1,700), Manito (2,000), Oas (2,200), Pio Duran (4,236), Polangui (8,400), Rapu-Rapu (1,789), Santo Domingo (1,000), and Tiwi (1,000).
The provincial LGU of Albay was also given 9,000 FFPs.
In Camarines Norte, the provincial LGU was provided with 12,300 FFPs. The municipality with the most number of FFPs provided was Labo with 9,402, followed by Mercedes with 6,900.
The other municipalities of Camarines Norte such as Basud received 1,603 boxes of FFPs; Capalonga, 5,000; Daet, 2,500; San Lorenzo Ruiz, 195; San Vicente, 1,200; Talisay, 1,650; and Vinzons, 803.
SAS Quintilla said the DSWD Field Office 5-Bicol Region continues to coordinate with the LGUs in these provinces to determine other appropriate services that the affected families may need in order for them not to go hungry and eventually resume their normal lives.
