Over 150,000 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) are now prepositioned across the different warehouses of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Negros Island that can be readily tapped to augment the resources of concerned local government units (LGUs) once the volcanic activity of Mt. Kanlaon is raised to Alert Level 4.
In the Thursday Media Forum on January 16, Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao told reporters that the prepositioned FFPs soared to 150,000 in response to the directive of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian to ensure the sufficient and timely delivery of aid in Negros Island.
“In Negros Occidental alone, we have more than 86,000 FFPs and in Negros Oriental more than 70,000 boxes ang naka-preposition. On top of these, meron pa rin on-going dispatches yung ating major hubs,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD’s spokesperson, said during the forum at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.
Last January 12 to 15, the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu dispatched 100,000 FFPs to the warehouses managed by Field Offices (FO) 6 – Western Visayas (for Negros Occidental) and 7 – Central Visayas (for Negros Oriental), as well as to LGU-owned facilities.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao said the agency was able to release this number within a short period of time as the VDRC and FOs Western Visayas and Central Visayas intensified their efforts to bring resources closer to affected communities and families.
“And through our Field Offices, we are in close coordination with the Office of Civil Defense and the LGUs, at sumusuporta din tayo sa kanilang plano sa pagtitiyak na handa tayo to provide augmentation support,” the DSWD spokesperson said.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao also told reporters that the DSWD has already extended 70,686 FFPs and 11,725 non-food items (NFIs) to Mt. Kanlaon-affected families since the December 9 eruption.
Over Php8.9 million in cash aid under the Department’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) have also been disbursed as part of the agency’s response efforts.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao assured reporters that the agency’s national stockpile is enough to extend more aid, particularly as evacuation remains mandatory.
“And of course, ang DSWD naman ay nakahanda rin at may mga stockpiles pa tayo na matatagpuan in strategic locations across the country. Nasa mahigit 2.1 million ang national stockpile natin at yan ay nagkakahalaga ng mahigit Php1.5 billion,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
While the DSWD spokesperson cited that the 2.1 million FFPs is so far the biggest number simultaneously prepositioned across the agency’s warehouses nationwide, the agency eyes to bring it up to 2.5 million in the coming days.
This is not only aimed at covering the food needs of Mt. Kanlaon-affected families, but also in preparation for other disasters and calamities that may occur.
“So, handa ang DSWD na tumugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga kababayan natin dyan sa Negros island and kung magkaroon pa ng ibang mga disaster or emergencies, makakapag-responde ang DSWD,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out. (LSJ)
