A total of 15 mobile kitchens are now ready for delivery to the different Field Offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to be used during disaster operations, an agency official said on Thursday (January 23).

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 during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum that the “new normal” brought forth challenges especially in terms of facing various kinds of calamities.

Responding to this, the DSWD-NRLMB official said the mobile kitchen is another innovation of the DSWD to increase the capacity to respond to any disaster situation.

SAS Quintilla said the mobile kitchens procured by the Department had already been delivered and currently being inspected according to specifications before these are officially transferred to the DSWD Field Offices.

The Field Office-National Capital Region (NCR) is not included in the recipients as the region already has a mobile kitchen previously donated by the World Food Programme (WFP).

“The mobile kitchens are equipped in serving hot meals to at least 500 individuals per meal. It will primarily address hunger issues of internally displaced families during disasters, including those staying outside and inside evacuation centers, from the pre-emptive evacuation to the post-disaster phase,” SAS Quintilla told reporters at the Media Forum.

The provision of hot meals in evacuation centers through the mobile kitchen is especially significant in a prolonged disaster response, according to the DSWD-NRLMB official.

“For example sa Mt. Kanlaon, hindi pwedeng sa next one month, food packs lang tayo, there will be food pack fatigue, so we also need to serve hot meals. Alternate yan na hot meals then food packs. Kailangan din ng vegetables, kailangan din balanse tayo kahit sa evacuation center. Ito ngayon ang role na gagampanan ng mobile kitchens,” SAS Quintilla explained.

SAS Quintilla added that the mobile kitchen will also serve those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged (GIDA) areas, especially 4th and 5th class municipalities during disasters.

The mobile kitchen will also cater to those stranded in major ports and airports and other areas as a result of a disaster.

“To operationalize, a regional Mobile Kitchen Deployment Team will be needed under the mobile command center. Under the respective regional Mobile Command Centers, the team will be composed of a safety officer, cook, kitchen worker, supply custodian and a driver,” the DSWD-NRLMB official pointed out.

SAS Quintilla said the operationalization of the mobile kitchen will have specific triggers for deployment.

“Disaster response, second is based from directives of the Secretary kung kailangan ng mga programa ng DSWD, and of course sa request din ng ating partners, like the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), para sa (disaster) response,” SAS Quintilla said.

The mobile kitchen is part of the on-going innovations being done in line with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s instructions to ensure that the needs of affected families are addressed with an adequate, sustained and compassionate disaster response measures.

Presently, the Department is finalizing operational procedures to include staff training, identification of meal plans and supply measures to ensure that once transferred to the regional offices, the mobile kitchens can be immediately deployed as needed. (GDVF)

 

Tagalog Version

15 mobile kitchen trucks, handa ng i-turn over sa mga DSWD Field Offices

Nakahanda ng i-turn over sa iba’t ibang Field Offices ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ang may 15 mobile kitchen trucks na maaaring gamitin sa panahon ng kalamidad.

Sa ginanap na Media Forum sa DSWD New Press Center nitong Huwebes, (January 23), sinabi ni 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, ang “new normal” ay nakapagdulot ng iba’t-ibang challenges sa ahensya lalo na sa pagharap sa mga kalamidad.

Sabi ni SAS Quintilla ang mga mobile kitchen trucks ay kasalukuyan ng dumadaan sa inspeksyon bago ito opisyal na i-turn over sa mga field offices ng DSWD.

“The mobile kitchens are equipped in serving hot meals to at least 500 individuals per meal. It will primarily address hunger issues of internally displaced families during disasters, including those staying outside and inside evacuation centers, from the pre-emptive evacuation to the post-disaster phase,” ani SAS Quintilla.

Dagdag pa niya, “For example sa Mt. Kanlaon, hindi pwedeng sa next one month, food packs lang tayo, there will be food pack fatigue, so we also need to serve hot meals. Alternate yan na hot meals then food packs. Kailangan din ng vegetables, kailangan din balanse tayo kahit sa evacuation center. Ito ngayon ang role na gagampanan ng mobile kitchens.”

Maging ang mga nasa geographically isolated and disadvantaged (GIDA) areas, gayundin ang nasa 4th and 5th class municipalities ay pagsisilbihan din ng mobile kitchen sa panahon ng kalamidad o emergency.

Maaari ding makinabang sa mobile kitchen ang mga pasaherong na-stranded sa mga major ports at airports.

“To operationalize, a regional Mobile Kitchen Deployment Team will be needed under the mobile command center. Under the respective regional Mobile Command Centers, the team will be composed of a safety officer, cook, kitchen worker, supply custodian and a driver,” sabi pa ng opisyal ng DSWD-NRLMB.

“Disaster response, second is based from directives of the Secretary kung kailangan ng mga programa ng DSWD, and of course sa request din ng ating partners, like the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), para sa (disaster) response,” dagdag pa ni SAS Quintilla.

Ang mobile kitchen ay parte ng tuloy-tuloy na innovations na isinasagawa ng ahensya upang matiyak na lahat ng mga pangangailangan ng mga apektadong pamilya at indibidwal ay maibibigay lalo na sa panahon ng kalamidad. # (MVC)