The Department of Social Welfare and Development reported on Monday, 11 December, that it has provided more than P57.3 million worth of food and non-food items and financial aid to families and individuals affected by the recent 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit some parts of Mindanao last 2 December.

According to DSWD Asst. Secretary for Legislative Affairs Irene B. Dumlao, data protection officer and agency co-spokesperson, over P53 million worth of FNIs were distributed to the affected areas in Davao del Norte in Region 11 and Surigao del Sur in Caraga Region.

Some 21 families whose houses were partially and totally damaged from the City of Tandag also received financial aid amounting to P67,000 under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.

"Our DSWD Field Offices continue to facilitate the hauling and delivery of family food packs to the affected municipalities under their jurisdiction. The agency's Disaster Response Management Bureau also maintains close coordination with its regional counterparts for significant updates and any requests for relief augmentation," said Dumlao.

Based on the latest report of the DSWD Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center, 949,499 FFPs are available at the Disaster Response Centers; DSWD FOs XI (Davao Region) and Caraga; and other FOs which may support the relief needs of the families affected by the earthquake incident through inter-FO augmentation.

Dumlao said the agency currently maintains more P2.7 billion standby funds and prepositioned relief items that can be tapped anytime for disaster response operations.