DSWD sends augmentation support to ‘Ulysses’-affected areas

FILE: Nakipag-ugnayan si DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista, kasama si DSWD Field Office NCR Regional Director Vicente Gregorio Tomas, sa mga kawani mula sa Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, at Philippine Red Cross, upang makatulong sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Marikina para mailikas sa mas ligtas na lugar ang kanilang mga nasasakupan at mabigyan sila ng karampatang tulong. (Photo: Department of Social Welfare and Development/Facebook)

MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started providing assistance to local government units affected by Typhoon Ulysses.

At the National Capital Region (NCR), DSWD field office NCR facilitated the release of 1,000 family food packs (FFPs) and 250 sleeping kits for Quezon City, and 2,000 FFPs and 400 sleeping kits for Marikina City from the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau.

Meanwhile, DSWD FO 4-A has provided 2,000 and 4,961 FFPs currently in transit to Rizal, and San Narciso, Quezon, respectively. A total of PHP3 million in standby funds is also available.

In addition, the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) released 3,300 and 1,700 FFPs bound for Legazpi, Albay, and Camarines Norte, respectively.

As the lead agency in the Food and Non-Food Items Cluster of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), and as part of its mandate to provide augmentation support to LGUs, the DSWD Central Office (CO), FOs, and the NROC have more than PHP800 million worth of stockpiles and standby funds.

More than PHP226 million standby funds are available at the CO, and more than 282,000 FFPs and other food and Non-Food Items (NFIs) are prepositioned around the country.

Disaster response for regions affected by ‘Ulysses’

At Region 1, DSWD FO 1 has prepared a total of PHP6.6 million standby funds, along with 9,192 FFPs and 14,129 non-food items (NFIs).

In Region 2, DSWD FO II has prepared more than 23,000 FFPs, along with PHP1.

16 million in standby funds ready for immediate support. In addition, 872 FFPs were provided to fisherfolk of Sta. Teresita, Cagayan.

At the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), DSWD FO CAR has prepared 11,686 FFPs and 52,364 NFIs, together with PhP3.2 million in available standby funds.

For Central Luzon, DSWD FO III has a total of 4,562 FFPs amounting to PhP1.11 million are readily available at the regional satellite warehouses as of November 12.

For the Bicol Region, which was severely hit by Typhoon Rolly, DSWD FO 5 has a total of 24,897 FFPs available at its warehouses, along with standby funds amounting to PHP3 million to augment response operations and PPP15 million for welfare goods provided by the DSWD CO.

Additionally, 50,000 FFPs from the DSWD CO are in-transit, along with the additional procurement of 45,000 FFPs.

Protective services for affected families

The DSWD, being the lead in camp coordination and camp management, has also ensured the efficient and effective delivery of protective services to affected families and individuals.

In ensuring the management of evacuation centers, children, and women-friendly spaces made available, minimum health standards are practiced, in coordination with the Department of Health, and psychosocial support is extended to internally displaced persons.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista assured the public of the Department’s continued “maagap at mapagkalingang serbisyo (immediate and caring service).” (PR)