The Philippine Air Force (PAF) in Central Visayas is actively helping the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in transporting the much-needed food packs to the flood-hit areas in Negros Occidental.

A total of 20,000 family food packs (FFPs) from the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Cebu City are scheduled to be transported in tranches to the Bacolod-Silay International Airport using PAF choppers from the Mactan Air Base.

On Thursday (August 31), the Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) reported to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian that the VDRC’s delivery of FFPs to Mactan Air Base has been continuous and ready for airlift once the PAF-Visayas Command gives the go-signal.

“A request has been made to the Visayas Command for a fixed wing, specifically a C-130 cargo plane, for faster airlifting of the prepositioned FFPs at the Mactan Air Base,” the DRMG reported to the DSWD chief.

The DRMG estimated that the transporting of the additional 20,000 FFPs from Mactan Air Base to the Bacolod-Silay International Airport in Negros Occidental will be finished by Saturday (September 2).

Once landed, the 20,000 food packs will be delivered to the DSWD regional warehouse in Bacolod City for immediate distribution to the flood-affected areas in the 4th Congressional District of Negros Occidental, which includes the cities of Bago and La Carlota, and the municipalities of Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Enrique and Valladolid. #