The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and its field offices (FOs) are now doing preparatory measures for the possible effects of Typhoon Ferdie in the country.

At present, the Department has a total of P862,952,425.85 standby funds and has prepositioned a total of 469,912 family food packs in strategic locations around the country.

In Region II where the typhoon continues to batter the province of Batanes, the DSWD FO-II and its Disaster Management Response Teams (DMRT) already conducted its Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) with other disaster agencies to discuss their plan of action on the possible effects of the typhoon.

In addition, the field office has delivered 350 sacks of NFA rice to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) of Batanes.

DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo called on all DSWD FOs to continue other preparatory activities such as repacking of relief goods, replenishment of prepositioned food packs to local governments, warehouse assessment, and identification of relief hubs to strengthen the Department’s response to possible typhoon victims.

“Field offices must maintain their close monitoring and coordination with local government units and disaster response agencies, especially those in Northern Luzon. We must be ready to provide prompt response including relief distribution, camp management, and stress debriefing to typhoon victims,” instructed Sec. Taguiwalo. ###