The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has delivered family food packs (FFPs) to all the six provinces of Region 5 (Bicol), the region with the highest number of families and individuals affected by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Kristine.
“For the Region 5 emergency operations in response to Typhoon Kristine, lahat po ng six provinces ng Region 5 namely Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon ay napadalhan na po natin ng FFPs,” DSWD-National Resource and Logistic Management Bureau (NRLMB) Chief Administrative Officer Irish Flor Yaranon said during the agency’s Thursday Media Forum on October 31.
According to the NRLMB official, a total of 272,731 boxes of FFPs have been distributed to all local government units (LGUs) in the Bicol Region.
Of this number, the biggest chunk of 94,318 FFPs were provided to Camarines Sur followed by 66,710 boxes to Albay; 30,253 to Camarines Norte; 26,008 to Sorsogon; 7,895 to Catanduanes; and 531 FFPs to Masbate.
For Naga City in Camarines Sur, the Field Office 5 – Bicol Region has completed the provision of 35,000 FFPs based on the request of the city government under Mayor Nelson Legacion.
The DSWD also released 10,088 boxes of FFPs to the LGU of Libon town in the Province of Albay.
Chief Yaranon said the DSWD, with the assistance of other agencies, is using all modes of transportation to deliver FFPs, especially to those areas in the Bicol Region experienced that are still submerged due to floods brought about by STS Kristine’s heavy volume of rainfall.
“We are utilizing all modes of transportation—-by air, by land, and by sea,” the NRLMB chief administrative officer told reporters.
The DSWD, as explained by Chief Yaranon, is continuously delivering FFPs and other relief items to the Bicol Region in line with the directive of Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
“Ongoing po ang ating delivery ng FFPs both from the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) which is based in Pasay City and from the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) which is based in Mandaue City, Cebu,” the NRLMB official said.
In addition to the FFPs, the agency also provided other non-food items to various LGUs in the Bicol Region such as family kits, hygiene kits, kitchen kits, laminated sacks, and sleeping kits.
The Province of Camarines Sur was also given 100 filtration kits for distribution to the various evacuation centers managed by LGUs.
“Lahat po ng mode of transportation ay ginagamit natin—-eroplano, barko, at ten-wheeler wing vans—-from both sites in Cebu and Pasay City para po makarating ang lahat ng ating FFPs to Region 5,” Chief Yaranon said.
14,000 FFPs for Batanes
Chief Yaranon said the DSWD is targeting to deliver 14,000 FFPs to augment the prepositioned food packs in the island province of Batanes.
A total of 5,500 boxes of FFPs are currently being transported by the Philippine Coast Guard (CG) and is expected to reach Batanes late Friday (November 1) or early Saturday (November 2).
“Yung 5,500 na FFPs ay en route na sa Batanes. Per advise ng Philippine Coast Guard this morning [October 31], once okay na ang weather, they will need to travel 20 hours para makarating sa Batanes,” Chief Yaranon said.
The NRLMB official pointed out that the agency is utilizing all possible entry ports and modes of transportation to deliver the 14,000 FFPs to Batanes as instructed by Secretary Gatchalian.
Chief Yaranon added: “Another option is mayroon tayong ready na FFPs in Cagayan na pwede rin naman gamitin na jump off point, from Cagayan to Batanes. We are closely coordinating naman po sa Office of the Civil Defense for the air assets.”
As of press time, a total of 7,484 families or 21,391 persons are affected by the onslaught of STS Kristine and Super Typhoon Leon in the 29 barangays of the island province.
