Surigao sur: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its field office in Caraga, has sustained its disaster relief operations by distributing distilled bottled water and family food packs (FFPs) to families impacted by Tropical Storm Basyang.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DSWD, with the support of uniformed personnel and volunteers from local government units (LGUs) and non-government organizations (NGOs), successfully delivered 1,710 pieces of bottled distilled water, totaling 17,100 liters, alongside 838 FFPs to storm-affected families in Barangay Pakwan in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur.
In a news release, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD's Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) emphasized the importance of reaching even the most remote communities to ensure that every individual receives assistance from the national government. The DSWD spokesperson stated the necessity of providing aid to all families affected by the recent storm, regardless of their location's remoteness or isolation.
Assistant Secretary Dumlao highlighted that this effort aligns with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., reiterated by Secretary Rex Gatchalian, that the national government should prioritize reaching out not only to the most vulnerable or affected but, crucially, to those residing in the most isolated areas of the country. Barangay Pakwan, as an isolated community, continues to experience the aftermath of Basyang, which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as a tropical depression on February 3.
In addition to bottled water, the DSWD has been consistently distributing food packs across the region since the onset of Basyang, with the department providing a total of PHP103.95 million worth of assistance. As of February 21, the DSWD Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) report indicated that 168,567 families, or 549,463 individuals, were affected by Basyang, with Surigao del Sur being the hardest-hit province in the region.
Assistant Secretary Dumlao assured that the DSWD remains prepared to respond to any disaster, ensuring that food packs and other forms of aid are ready and on standby in the event of a calamity.
