Immediately after the relief goods donated by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City on Tuesday (July 30), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) facilitated the speedy delivery of the items to local government units (LGUs) affected by the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina and the ‘Habagat’.

“DSWD will make sure the contents are trucked by tomorrow to the concerned local government units for their distribution. No donations will sleep with us,” DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a Facebook post on  Tuesday  right after he received the donations from the people of the UAE.

On instructions of Secretary Gatchalian, the DSWD was able to transport within 24 hours the UAE-donated goods to the recipient LGUs in Metro Manila and Central Luzon.

“This is proof that the DSWD is always ready and available to deliver the needs of affected citizens at all times,” DSWD Asst. Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Irene Dumlao, who is also the agency spokesperson, said.

The LGUs which received the donated goods from UAE were Marikina City with 832 boxes of food items; Navotas City with 384 ; and the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan and Pampanga with 416 boxes of goods each.

The UAE donated 80 tons of various goods intended for families affected by the twin disasters.

The goods include pasta, wheat flour, basmati rice, red lentils, dates, chickpeas, powdered juice, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and sweet corn, which were packaged in cans and packets.

As of press time, the DSWD has already provided Php276.020 million worth of humanitarian assistance to families affected by the recent weather disturbances. #