Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has facilitated the loading of critical relief supplies into container vans bound for Basco, Batanes as Typhoon Francisco (International name Mekkhala) strengthens over the Philippine Sea, placing Batanes and northeastern Cagayan under Signal No. 1.
According to Philippines News Agency, in partnership with the United Nations-World Food Programme (UN-WFP), the Department on Monday dispatched four container vans carrying 7,000 family food packs (FFPs) and another van loaded with 1,020 kitchen kits and 100 modular tents. These goods are expected to arrive in the province between June 24 and 25, and will boost the relief reserves in Batanes to a total of 24,034 FFPs, supplementing the 17,034 boxes already prepositioned in the province.
In a radio interview, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD's Disaster Response Management Group said the Department, under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, has established the Buong Bansa Handa Program to activate two parallel supply chains and guarantee the uninterrupted delivery of relief assistance during calamities. Dumlao emphasized that the department will not delay its response to the needs of affected individuals, ensuring that relief efforts are promptly extended to Luzon as well as Mindanao.
As of the latest report, the Department has strategically prepositioned 4.7 million FFPs across its regional Field Offices and warehouses nationwide, available to augment the resources of local government units during emergency operations.
Meanwhile, Dumlao highlighted that the DSWD has released more than PHP378.3 million in humanitarian assistance to communities severely affected by a powerful earthquake in southern Mindanao. The earthquake impacted 380,379 families or 1,627,376 individuals across 635 barangays in regions including Region 9 (Zamboanga), Region 11 (Northern Mindanao), Region 12 (Soccsksargen), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The assistance provided by the DSWD for the earthquake includes family food packs, ready-to-eat food boxes, non-food items, and cash aid under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS). The department has also deployed mobile kitchens serving hot meals and family tents for displaced families, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to deliver basic needs to disaster-stricken families and individuals.
The DSWD remains committed to ensuring no affected family is left behind, with over PHP4.3 billion in food and non-food items prepositioned across all regions, alongside a readily available Quick Response Fund amounting to PHP94.378 million.
