Following the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday (December 10) personally visited the evacuation centers in Negros Occidental where he led the distribution of over Php590,000 worth of family food packs (FFPs) to those affected by the volcanic unrest.

Under orders from President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., the DSWD chief made the rounds of the three evacuation centers in the Negros Occidental province, where he oversaw the distribution of close to 1,000 boxes of FFPs to Kanlaon-affected families.

“Ang assurance ho ng ating Pangulo, habang nandito kayo tutulungan kayo ng DSWD—ng aming Departamento — kaya huwag ho kayong mag-alalala. Talagang pinapunta ako ng ating Pangulo para tingnan ang inyong kalagayan,” Secretary Gatchalian told the evacuees at the La Castellana Elementary School.

Earlier in the day, Secretary Gatchalian visited the evacuation centers in the Cities of Bago and La Carlota.

Aside from the FFPs, Secretary Gatchalian also extended non-food items (NFIs) such as family kits, hygiene kits, and led the turnover of water-filtration units for the use of affected local government units (LGUs).

The portable filtration kits, according to the DSWD chief, will be critical to ensure access to clean and potable water amid the threat of the volcanic emission to water resources and on the overall health of affected families and individuals.

Also forming part of the agency’s proactive response efforts, the DSWD Field Office (FO) 6 – Western Visayas and FO 7 – Central Visayas deployed their respective Mobile Command Centers (MCCs) to provide additional service to evacuees.

Equipped with stable internet connection and power source, the MCC can extend free power supply and internet connectivity to disaster-affected individuals, helping them stay informed with the latest news and maintain communication with their families.

The DSWD chief also assured the evacuees that the national government is on top of the situation and is actively coordinating with the LGUs to ensure harmonized response efforts.

“Sunod lang po tayo kay Mayor kasi mapanganib pa po talagang bumalik sa mga lugar niyo. Alam kong medyo hindi komportable dito pero nandito po ang pamahalaang nasyonal at nandito din ang local government at ang provincial government. Tutulong at tutulong po kami sa inyo,” Secretary Gatchalian said as he urged the evacuees to heed the warnings of the authorities.

Aside from the evacuation center visits, the DSWD chief also met with local officials and ensured them of continued augmentation support not just from the agency, but from the national government itself.

Secretary Gatchalian was accompanied by Undersecretary Diana Rose Cajipe of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), Field Office (FO) 6 – Western Visayas Regional Director Arwin Razon, and FO-7 Central Visayas Director Shalaine Marie Lucero.# (LSJ)

 

Tagalog Version

DSWD chief binisita mga Kanlaon evacuees, namahagi ng Php590K halaga ng FFPs

Mahigit sa Php590,000 halaga ng family food packs (FFPs) ang naipaabot ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) matapos ang naging personal na pagbisita ni DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian nitong Martes (December 10) sa mga lugar na nasalanta ng pagputok ng bulkang Kanlaon.

Batay na rin sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., nag-ikot ang DSWD chief sa tatlong evacuation centers sa Negros Occidental, kung saan pinangasiwaan nito ang pamimigay ng halos 1,000 kahon ng FFPs sa mga Kanlaon-affected families.

“Ang assurance ho ng ating Pangulo, habang nandito kayo tutulungan kayo ng DSWD—ng aming Departamento — kaya huwag ho kayong mag-alalala. Talagang pinapunta ako ng ating Pangulo para tingnan ang inyong kalagayan,” sabi ni Secretary Gatchalian sa mga evacuees sa La Castellana Elementary School.

Nauna rito, binisita din ni Secretary Gatchalian ang mga evacuation centers sa mga bayan ng Bago at La Carlota.

Bukod naman sa FFPs, nagbigay din ang Kalihim ng mga non-food items (NFIs) tulad ng family kits, hygiene kits, at water-filtration units na maaaring gamitin ng lokal na pamahalaan upang magkaroon ng access sa malinis na inumin ang mga residente na nagkakanlong sa mga evacuation centers.

Idineploy din ng DSWD Field Office (FO) 6 – Western Visayas at FO 7 – Central Visayas ang Mobile Command Centers (MCCs) upang makatulong sa mga naapektuhang pamilya at indibidwal na makapag charge ng kanilang celphones.

Ang MCC ay nagtataglay ng internet connection at power source,at maaaring gamitin ng mga apektadong pamilya upang matawagan ang kanilang mga kaanak.

Kasabay nito, tiniyak ng DSWD chief na tuloy tuloy ang pagbibigay ng tulong ng gobyerno para sa kanilang mga pangangailangan.

“Sunod lang po tayo kay Mayor kasi mapanganib pa po talagang bumalik sa mga lugar niyo. Alam kong medyo hindi komportable dito pero nandito po ang pamahalaang nasyonal at nandito din ang local government at ang provincial government. Tutulong at tutulong po kami sa inyo,” sabi ni Secretary Gatchalian.

Nakipagkita din si DSWD Secretary Gatchalian sa iba pang mga local officials upang mabatid ang iba pang mga pangangailangan at suportang maibibigay ng ahensya sa lahat ng mga apektadong residente.

Kasama naman ni Secretary Gatchalian sina DSWD Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Diana Rose Cajipe, Field Office (FO) 6 – Western Visayas Regional Director Arwin Razon, at FO-7 Central Visayas Director Shalaine Marie Lucero. # (MVC)