The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has sufficient resources for its ongoing disaster operations related to the typhoons affecting the country, including the most recent storm ‘Pepito.’

A senior DSWD official made the assurance during the Media Forum on Saturday (November 16) in Quezon City.

“DSWD has enough resources. We are grateful to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) because we recently received a replenishment of Php875 million for our Quick Response Fund (QRF),” said Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, when asked if the agency’s resources had been depleted due to the numerous typhoons.

Asst. Secretary Dumlao explained that the replenishment of the QRF allows the DSWD to fulfill its mandate to provide additional support to local government units (LGUs) affected by disasters.

“With the QRF, nakapag-procure tayo ng additional raw materials na gagamitin para sa mga family food packs (FFPs) na pino-produce sa ating mga hubs. Also, we are able to draw down pre-packed items from the
existing framework agreement with our partner retailers and distributors,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.

“Ito ngang  pag-procure natin ng mga additional welfare goods ay magagamit natin para maghanda sa mga susunod pang bagyo,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.

The spokesperson said the DSWD is allowed to request another replenishment once the Quick Response Fund (QRF) obligations have reached 50 percent or more.

Asst. Secretary Dumlao further explained that with the additional raw materials acquired from the QRF replenishment, the combined production capacity of the agency’s Northern Luzon hubs and the Visayas
Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) would increase to 50,000 FFPs daily or more.

“So, we hope that walang masyadong emergencies in December, and iyong pino-produce natin na FFPs will be good until the second week of December,” the DSWD official pointed out.

Continued prepositioning

Asst. Secretary Dumlao noted that while prepositioned goods are already in place in regions along Typhoon Pepito’s path, the DSWD has intensified its prepositioning efforts.

“Bagamat meron tayong mga naka-preposition na goods sa mga areas dyan, nag-reinforce tayo,” the assistant secretary said.

The VDRC has delivered 30,000 FFPs to the Bicol Region.

However, due to the suspension of sea travel at Port Allen, the goods have been redirected to the agency’s Northern Samar  warehouse.

Another 50,000 FFPs are being loaded today, November 16, at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City. They are destined for Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, and Quirino.

Assistant Secretary Dumlao stressed that while the agency continues to respond to areas severely affected by Typhoons Nika and Ofel, it is also enhancing its prepositioning efforts to ensure a timely response to the needs of disaster-affected families. (MBM)

 

Tagalog Version

 

DSWD sapat ang supply ng relief goods para sa mga apektado ng bagyo

Tiniyak ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) sapat ang relief assistance ng ahensya para sa isinasagawang disaster and relief operations sa mga lugar na apektado ng bagyong Pepito.

“DSWD has enough resources. We are grateful to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) because we recently received a replenishment of Php 875 million for our Quick Response Fund (QRF),” sabi ni Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) at Spokesperson Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao bilang tugon sa umano’y nagkukulang na ang suplay ng ahensya sa patuloy na distribution ng family food packs (FFPs) sa mga lugar na nasalanta ng magkakasunod na bagyo sa bansa.

Ipinaliwanag ni Asst. Secretary Dumlao ang tuloy tuloy na pagdagdag ng QRF ang nagbibigay daan sa DSWD upang magampanan ang mandato niyo na magbigay ng suporta sa mgalocal government units (LGUs) na apektado ng kalamidad.

“With the QRF, nakapag-procure tayo ng additional raw materials na gagamitin para sa mga family food packs (FFPs) na pino-produce sa ating mga hubs. Also, we are able to draw down pre-packed items from the existing framework agreement with our partner retailers and distributors,” ani pa Asst. Secretary Dumlao.

Dagdag pa niya “Ito ngang  pag-procure natin ng mga additional welfare goods ay magagamit natin para maghanda sa mga susunod pang bagyo.”

Ayon pa sa opisyal, maaaring mag-request ng panibagong replenishment ang ahensya sakaling nagamit na ang 50 percent ng Quick Response Fund (QRF).

“So, we hope that walang masyadong emergencies in December, and iyong pino-produce natin na FFPs will be good until the second week of December,” sabi pa ng the DSWD official.

Ayon pa kay Asst. Secretary Dumlao sa kabila ng mga naka-preposition na FFPs sa mga lugar na dadaanan ng bagyong Pepito, handa ang DSWD na magpatuloy sa pamamahagi ng serbisyo sa mga apektadong pamilya.

“Bagamat meron tayong mga naka-preposition na goods sa mga areas dyan, nag-reinforce tayo,” sabi pa ng opisyal.

Sa report, nakapagdeliver na ang VDRC ng 30,000 Family Food Packs (FFPs) sa Bicol Region, subalit dahil na rin sa suspension of sea travel sa Port Allen, ang mga relief items ay na-redirected sa Northern Samar Port Allen warehouse ng DSWD.

Sa kasalukuyan, nagkakarga na ng 50,000 FFPs sa National Resource Operations Center (NROC),Pasay City upang maipadala naman ito agad sa . Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), kabilang na ang Cagayan, Isabela, at Quirino.#