DSWD: Over 2.1M food packs ready in strategic areas ahead of Tino

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday assured that it has prepositioned more than 2.1 million family food packs (FFPs) in critical, strategic areas as part of its preparations for the onslaught of Typhoon Tino in the Visayas and Mindanao.

DSWD spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the preparations are part of their Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program, which seeks to ensure that sufficient volumes of food and non-food items (FNFIs) are prepositioned in regional, provincial, and municipal warehouses in areas that may be affected by Tino.

Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group said the DSWD, through its field offices, has begun preparations as early as last week by seeing to it that more than 2.1 million FFPs are stocked in critical warehouses across the country.

“Since last week, we have been monitoring this weather phenomenon and are regularly coordinating with PAGASA to understand the forecast track of Typhoon Tino,” she said in a statement.

There are over 128,000 family food packs ready for distribution in Region VIII (Eastern Visayas); about 89,000 food packs in Region VI (Western Visayas); and more than 81,000 food packs in the CARAGA region.

“That’s the value of prepositioning. Anytime, handa tayo kasi sabi nga ng Pangulong Marcos Jr. dapat tiyakin natin yung kapanatagan ng kalooban ng ating mga kababayan at matiyak na wala pong kababayang Pilipino ang magugutom sa gitna ng kalamidad,” Dumlao said.

(That’s the value of prepositioning. Anytime, we are ready, as instructed by President Marcos Jr., to assure our countrymen and ensure that no Filipino will go hungry in the middle of calamity.)

She added that the DSWD has an efficient replenishment mechanism, especially in the Visayas. The Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City in Cebu produces around 18,000 and 20,000 food packs daily.

In its 11 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin for Tino, the state weather bureau said Signal No. 4 was hoisted over eight areas in the Visayas and three areas in Mindanao, including Dinagat Islands, Siargao, and Bucas Grande Islands.

Signal No. 3 is in effect over 10 areas in the Visayas and the rest of Surigao del Norte in Mindanao.

The state weather bureau also warned of storm surges as high as three meters in several coastal areas in Visayas and Mindanao. — JMA, GMA Integrated News