The Department of Social Welfare has extended more than Php8.4 million worth of humanitarian aid to local government units (LGUs) in Albay province to help in their disaster response operations for families affected by the Mayon Volcano unrest.
“As of 6 this morning, mahigit 8.4 million pesos na po na humanitarian assistance yung ating naipapaabot sa mga lugar na naapektuhan ng Mt. Mayon unrest, at patuloy po tayo na magpo-provide ng augmentation support dito sa mga lugar na naapektuhan, lalo pa na may mga pamilya pa na nasa mga evacuation centers,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas on Sunday (January 18).
Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also DSWD spokesperson, said the Department’s Field Office (FO) 5 – Bicol Region has been closely coordinating with Albay LGUs to monitor the condition of more than 1,100 families or over 4,000 individuals currently staying in 12 evacuation centers in the province.
“Nakausap natin yung provincial government gayundin yung mga local chief executives, nag-usap tayo on the arrangement sa pamamahagi ng mga family food packs (FFPs). For 15 days yung mga local government units, and then the next 15 days, DSWD will come in. Kasi alam naman natin na medyo magtatagal itong sitwasyon, itong pag-aalburoto ng Mayon,” the DSWD spokesperson said in another interview with DZBB on the same day.
Aside from the provision of relief assistance, the DSWD will provide cash-for-work (CFW) to provide the affected families a temporary source of livelihood as the effusive eruption of Mayon Volcano continues.
“Mayroon din tayong agreement with the local government units na mamahagi tayo ng cash-for-work. Kasi alam naman natin na naantala yung kabuhayan ng mga residente doon sa foot hills ng Mayon. Thirty days po iyan o habang po sila ay nasa evacuation center. Sila po ay magtatanim, mag-aayos ng mga water and health sanitation facilities, magpapastol ng mga hayop, so aayusin nila yung kanilang mga kalagayan sa evacuation centers, but in return, ay may matatanggap sila na financial assistance from the DSWD,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out.
The DSWD spokesperson also assured the public that the Department’s resources are sufficient to help Bicolanos affected by Tropical Storm (TS) Ada, the first weather disturbance to hit the country this year.
“Sa kasalukuyan nasa 145,000 FFPs yung naka-prepositioned na mga goods dyan sa mga warehouses natin sa Region 5, and then, magpapadala pa tayo ng karagdagan,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
The continuous augmentation of relief goods to LGUs is the DSWD’s proactive response in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s marching order to guarantee that no Filipino will go hungry in times of disasters or emergencies. (AKDL)
