DSWD sends 7k food packs, relief items to Batanes amid Super Typhoon Francisco threat

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has sent five container vans with family food packs (FFPs), kitchen kits, and modular tents to Basco, Batanes in preparation for the impact of Super Typhoon Francisco.

In a statement, DSWD spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the dispatch of critical relief supplies to Batanes is in partnership with the United Nations-World Food Programme (UN-WFP).

The relief supplies included four container vans with 7,000 FFPs and another container van with 1,020 kitchen kits and 100 modular tents.

The DSWD said the relief items are expected to arrive in Batanes between Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25.

The arrival of the relief supplies will boost relief reserves in Batanes to a total of 24,034 FFPs, supplementing the 17,034 boxes already prepositioned there.

So far, the DSWD has prepositioned 4.7 million FFPs across its regional Field Offices (FOs) and warehouses nationwide to augment resources of local government units (LGUs) during emergency operations.

As of late Monday night, Signal No. 1 is hoisted over Batanes and the northeastern portion of Cagayan (Gonzaga, Santa Ana) including the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Is., Didicas Is., Camiguin Is.,) due to Super Typhoon Francisco.

“Habang patuloy tayo nag-provide ng assistance sa Mindanao, we’re ready to provide the same assistance dito naman sa bandang Luzon na maaaring masalanta nitong bagyo,” Dumlao said.

(While we continue to provide assistance to Mindanao earthquake victims, we’re ready to provide the same assistance here in Luzon to those who might be affected by the typhoon.) — JMA, GMA News