The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has more than 2.4 million boxes of family food packs (FFPs) prepositioned across the country in preparation for a new weather disturbance that formed outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
According to PAGASA, the approaching low pressure area (LPA) will be called tropical cyclone ‘Paolo’ once it enters the PAR.
“Kasabay ng patuloy na pamamahagi ng DSWD ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan na nasalanta ng mga nakaraang bagyo ay ang patuloy rin na pag-rereplenish ng ating mga food and non-food items sa mga warehouses sa buong bansa,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said on Tuesday (September 30).
Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who also the DSWD spokesperson, said that with the new mechanized packing system in the Luzon Disaster Resource Center (LDRC) and Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC), the Department plans to increase the production of FFPs.
“Alinsunod po sa direktiba ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na siguraduhin na walang pamilya ang magugutom sa oras ng kalamidad, ang DSWD po ay namahagi na ng higit 300,000 na FFPs sa mga naapektuhan ng Bagyong Mirasol, Nando, at Opong. Patuloy po ang production sa ating mga warehouses para matiyak na napapalitan agad ang mga ito para ma-meet natin ang ating stockpile target na 3 million FFPs at any given time nationwide,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
Aside from food packs and non-food items, the Department and its Field Offices has more than Php379 million standby funds ready for relief operations.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out that all of the agency’s disaster response vehicles and other equipment such as mobile kitchens, mobile water stations, and mobile command centers are also ready to be deployed in affected areas, as the need arises.
“Muli ay nais po naming ipaalala sa ating mga kababayan na patuloy na mag-ingat at makinig sa anunsyo ng inyong mga local chief executives para po mapanatili ang inyong kaligtasan tuwing may sakuna,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said. (AKDL)
