Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that the Department continues to mobilize volunteers to assist in the repacking of family food packs at the National Resource Operation Center (NROC) at NAIA Chapel Road, Pasay City.

As of August 22, a total of 1,175 volunteers were mobilized in the repacking of 20,014 family food packs. The volunteers include 53 groups and 238 walk-in individuals.  Some of the organizations which volunteered are Pitogo High School, JTF-NCR AFIP Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Philippine National Police AVSEGROUP, Alpha Phi Omega Inc., Boy Scout of the Philippines-Metro Manila South Council, PNP-Pasay, National University Supreme Student Council, Chiang Kai Shek College, among others.

According to Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, 217 volunteers were able to produce 5,560 family food packs as of 12 am to 4am of August 22.

“We are thankful for the volunteers who immediately responded to our call and are now in NROC. We appeal for more volunteers since we have to repack thousands of family food packs for speedy distribution to all affected areas. Mga volunteers, Tayo na sa NROC,” the Secretary stated in her twitter account @dinkysunflower.

Likewise, Secretary Soliman thanked all those who retweeted her post calling for volunteers, “Malaking tulong ang pagpapakalat ng impormasyon,” she enthused.

She added that some 100,000 family food packs are intended to be repacked for the victims of disasters.

As of 6 am today, a total of 363,246 families with 1.73 million persons have been affected with Central Luzon posting the most number of affected families at 215, 263 families comprising 1,024,616 persons followed by Region IV-A with 75,928 families with  369,100 persons, and the National Capital region (NCR) with 36,591 and 168,517 persons.

To date, 709 evacuation centers remain open providing temporary shelter for 48,206 displaced families with 217,195 persons. Of the 709, 268 are in NCR; 244 are in Region IV-A; 175 in Region III; 14 in region I; 5 in CAR, and 3 in IV-B. Some 71,165 families with 345,723 persons who opted to stay with relatives and friends in safer areas are also being assisted.

Meanwhile, the DSWD released food and non-food items (NFIs) worth P12,842,250.00, breakdown as follows: NCR, P4,720,000.00; Region III, 6,250,000.00; and Region IV-A, P1,872,250.00. The items include family food packs, high energy biscuits, plastic mats and blankets.

The DSWD, together with local government units affected by heavy downpour spawned by typhoon “Maring” and the ‘habagat” continue to conduct massive relief operations in areas with the most number of displaced families and in those with recurring floodwaters.

Secretary   Soliman said that P22 million worth of relief assistance from the combined resources of the DSWD, LGUs, and NGOs have been provided to disaster victims.

The DSWD Disaster Operations Center at the NROC has been established to coordinate all relief distribution efforts. ###