Sultan kudarat: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has so far extended more than PHP11.9 million worth of humanitarian assistance to families displaced by the 5.7-magnitude temblor in the municipalities of Lebak and Kalamansig in Sultan Kudarat.
According to Philippines News Agency, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD's Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) reported that more than PHP9 million worth of assistance was extended to affected individuals in Kalamansig, and PHP2.9 million in Lebak. Currently, some 3,576 families or 13,121 persons are residing in 14 evacuation centers in Sultan Kudarat, while 1,057 families or 3,269 individuals have opted to stay with their relatives or friends.
'Patuloy ang pamamahagi ng DSWD Field Office 12 - Soccsksargen ng tulong sa mga pamilyang nasa mga evacuation centers sa Sultan Kudarat. Sa utos po ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., sinisigurado po ng DSWD na hindi magugutom ang ating mga kababayan na naapektuhan ng kalamidad (The DSWD field office continues to distribute aid to families in evacuation centers in Sultan Kudarat. On orders of President Marcos, the DSWD ensures that calamity-affected Filipinos will not go hungry),' Dumlao stated.
She mentioned that a DSWD mobile kitchen was also deployed at Datu Guiabar Pilot School in Kalamansig to provide hot and nutritious meals to the displaced locals. The DSWD spokesperson highlighted that the agency promptly replenishes family food packs (FFPs) and ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes in warehouses whenever a batch is distributed to affected families.
In addition to providing relief goods, DSWD personnel are monitoring the children and women-friendly spaces established in Don Modesto Buenaflor Sr. Elementary School, also in Kalamansig. Dumlao assured the public that the DSWD has sufficient stockpiles in Soccsksargen to address the needs of all affected evacuees.
To date, the DSWD has more than 78,000 FFPs in warehouses across Soccsksargen. The department continues the repacking and replenishment of FFPs at the Visayas Disaster Response Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City to ensure that aid can be distributed immediately across the Visayas and Mindanao if needed.
'The DSWD is also continuously coordinating with the LGUs for other assistance that may be needed by the earthquake-affected families and individuals,' Dumlao concluded.
