DSWD SEC GATCHALIAN ORDERS SWIFT AID TO ‘CARINA’-HIT FAMILIES

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to swiftly deliver assistance to those affected by Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has ordered the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) and DSWD field offices to immediately send family food packs and other relief items to typhoon-hit communities.

In a situation briefing led by the President at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Headquarters in Camp Emilio Aguinaldo on Wednesday (24 July 2024), Marcos Jr. directed the DSWD to adjust the distribution of relief items, especially in the areas with the most numbers of affected families.

“Yung distribution ng stockpile ninyo, i-adjust na ninyo. Nakikita na naman natin yung trend kung saan dumadaan, where are the areas that are being hit hardest. As much as possible, doon na tayo mag start prepositioning as a response to the need para hindi tayo mahirapan,” the President pointed out.

During the situation briefing, Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) and Concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) Leo Quintilla reported the activities and response efforts of the DSWD.

“Mr. President, currently we have a total of around one million family food packs (FFPs) and with a total standby funds and stockpiles funds of Php2.6 billion,” SAS Quintilla said.

The DSWD also maintains more than Php1.2 billion worth of other food and non-food items (FNIs).

According to the NRLMB Concurrent OIC, these stockpiles are in the agency’s disaster response centers, regional offices, and in the last mile warehouses in the LGUs, especially in the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).

The boxes of FFPs and other relief items have been prepositioned even before Typhoon Carina entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

“We still have around 1.6 million available FFPs through our framework agreement with different suppliers that are ready to be drawn down anytime we need additional relief goods to augment the LGUs,” the NLRMB Director said.

Based on the July 24, 6:00 AM report of the DSWD-Disaster Response Operations Management, Information Center (DROMIC), a total of 45,328 families equivalent to 91,062 individuals in 225 barangays in the National Capital Region (NCR), Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, 5 (Bicol), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) have been affected by the weather disturbance.

Some 1,702 families or 6,524 persons are currently taking temporary shelter in 126 evacuation centers in the NCR, Regions 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and CALABARZON and MIMAROPA.

The DSWD has earlier set its Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) on red alert status or all human and material resources are available for duty and deployment.

(el Amigo/mnm)