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Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office V Director Norman Laurio (right) and Catanduanes Provincial Governor Joseph Cua cut the ribbon during the inauguration ceremony of the newly constructed two-storey building in Virac, Catanduanes. The first floor of the building will serve as a warehouse, while the second floor will be the office of the Field Office's Social Welfare and Development team.
Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office V Director Norman Laurio (right) and Catanduanes Provincial Governor Joseph Cua cut the ribbon during the inauguration ceremony of the newly constructed two-storey building in Virac, Catanduanes. The first floor of the building will serve as a warehouse, while the second floor will be the office of the Field Office’s Social Welfare and Development team.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through Field Office (FO) V, spearheaded the inauguration of a new building in Virac, Catanduanes on Friday (June 2), which was built by the provincial government under the leadership of Governor Joseph Cua.

DSWD-FO V Director Norman Laurio and Governor Cua signed the Memorandum of Agreement (DSWD) for the formal turn-over of the building to the Department.

On behalf of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Director Laurio expressed the Department’s gratitude to Governor Cua for his steadfast commitment to ensuring the welfare of his constituents.

“This new warehouse and SWAD office will greatly facilitate our operations and enable us to respond more effectively to the needs of the community. We are honored to be part of this momentous occasion and extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Provincial Local Government of Catanduanes. Our Secretary, Rex Gatchalian, also expresses his gratitude to Honorable Governor Joseph Cua for his unwavering support to our programs and services,” Director Laurio said.

The two-storey building will serve as a warehouse and a satellite office, with the second floor serving as FO’s Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) team in the province.

Located within the Capitol grounds in Barangay Rawis, the warehouse has the capacity to stockpile 10,000 food and non-food items at a given time.

Currently, there are 5,000 family food packs (FFPs) already stored in the warehouse, occupying the first floor of the building.

The establishment of the DSWD FO V warehouse in Catanduanes will play a crucial role in ensuring the swift and effective response of the Bicol regional office during emergencies.

The facility will be used as the central hub for stockpiling of essential relief goods and supplies, enabling prompt distribution to areas affected by calamities.

With this strategic move, the DSWD aims to minimize the impact of future typhoons and other disaster in the province and in nearby areas by ensuring the timely provision of aid.

Being an island province, Catanduanes is a disaster-prone area and, oftentimes, bringing aid from mainland Bicol is difficult, leaving the affected families isolated and in dire need of assistance.

The DSWD, under the leadership of Secretary Gatchalian, continues to find ways to enhance its disaster preparation and mitigation initiatives through stronger partnerships with the local government units, which are the first responders during emergencies. #