DSWD: P1.9M in relief aid given to Tino victims

The Department of Social Welfare and Development has extended over P1.9 million so far worth of relief assistance to families in Bicol, Central Visayas, and CARAGA affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Tino.

DSWD spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said this aid – which included food and non-food items (FNFIs) – is expected to increase as concerned field offices continue to conduct situational analysis in their areas of responsibility.

“Nung isang araw pa natin mino-monitor itong sitwasyon and nakipag-coordinate na rin po ang ating mga field offices sa kanilang mga local counterparts at inassure na naka-ready po tayo to augment their resources,” she said on Tuesday.

(We have been monitoring the situation since the other day and our field offices coordinated with their local counterparts. We also assured them that we are ready to augment their resources.)

“Kung kakailanganin nga ng karagdagang tulong ay madali pong ma-access itong ating mga food packs and non-food items sapagkat nakalagay nga po ang mga ito sa mga lugar na posibleng madadaanan ni Bagyong Tino,” Dumlao added.

(If there is a need for additional aid, we can easily access our food packs and non-food items because these have been stocked in areas that may be on Tino’s path.)

In its 11 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, the state weather bureau placed the northernmost portion of Palawan under Signal No. 4 as Tino approaches the area.

Meanwhile, Dumlao said the DSWD has not yet experienced any challenges in its disaster response operations due to its prepositioning of relief goods under the Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program.

“Isa nga po na kahandaaan na isinasagawa ng ating departamento yung pagtitiyak na mayroong sapat na naka-prepositioned goods sa iba’t ibang mga lugar sa ating bansa, kasama na po yung mga geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA),” she said.

(One of our department’s preparations is to ensure that we have sufficient prepositioned goods in different parts of the country, including geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.)

“Gayundin po, natitiyak natin na na-momonitor natin yun pong ating mga goods. Alam po natin kung fit for consumption ito, at sapat nga po yung bilang ng mga food and non-food items na naka-prepositioned po sa ating mga warehouses,” she added.

(We can also assure that we monitor our goods. We know if these are fit for consumption and if there are adequate numbers of food and non-food items prepositioned in our warehouses.)

The first supply chain features a national and local government-driven supply chain that aims to increase the production capacities and processes of the Luzon Disaster Resource Center (LDRC) in Pasay City, the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, and the warehouse and storage facilities across all DSWD field offices.

The second supply chain, on the other hand, is through framework agreements of the DSWD field offices with established large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors to leverage on their technical expertise and resources to create a private sector-driven supply chain.

Earlier on Tuesday, Dumlao called for more volunteers to help with the production of family food packs for the typhoon victims.

Aside from the FNFIs, the DSWD also deployed its mobile kitchen to provide hot meals to locally stranded individuals in Matnog Port in Sorsogon province.

As of press time, some 53,570 families or 175,531 individuals are currently staying in 2,156 evacuation centers in MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and CARAGA.

Meanwhile, some 20,565 affected families or 65,751 persons are temporarily staying with their relatives or friends, the DSWD added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News