The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Field Office Negros Island Region (NIR), has provided food packs to families affected by isolated rain showers and flooding incidents brought about by a shear line.
“Nagkaroon po ng yellow rainfall warning kahapon sa Bacolod City na nagdulot ng matinding pagbaha sa 24 na barangay. Sa utos ni Secretary Rex Gatchalian, maagap na nakapagpaabot ng tulong sa 320 pamilyang naapektuhan ng baha ang DSWD NIR. Nagbahagi kami ng mga family food packs (FFPs) na syang naka-preposition na sa area,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said on Monday (February 2).
Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also DSWD spokesperson, said the immediate response to assist the flood-hit families is in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure efficient, timely, and responsive assistance to communities affected by disasters or emergencies.
“Alinsunod sa utos ng ating Pangulong Marcos Jr., patuloy na pinalalakas ng DSWD ang kapasidad nito para makapagbigay ng sapat at agarang tulong sa ating mga kababayan. Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program,” the DSWD spokesperson said.
The BBH program employs two parallel supply chain mechanisms for disaster preparedness and response.
The first supply chain utilizes a national and local government-driven supply chain that aims to increase the production capacities and processes of the agency’s Luzon Disaster Resource Center (LDRC) in Pasay City, the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Cebu, and the warehouse and storage facilities across all DSWD’s Field Offices (FOs).
The second supply chain, on the other hand, focuses on the DSWD’s partnerships with the private sector. Through framework agreements, the Department will be able to tap the expertise and resources of established large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors.
By employing said supply chains, the DSWD’s regional offices are able to respond immediately to requests by local government units (LGUs) for augmentation support during disasters.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao assured the public that the DSWD NIR is in close coordination with the City Government of Bacolod for technical assistance or additional augmentation support to ensure that the affected households can immediately bounce back to their normal lives after the floodings subside.
“Sa mga kababayan po natin handa po ang DSWD na patuloy na magbahagi ng tuloy sa mga nasalanta ng baha. Mayroon po ang DSWD NIR na higit 230,000 FFPs na maaring i-deploy agad kung kinakailangan,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said. (AKDL)
