DSWD prepared for multi-typhoon onslaught

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) over the weekend said it has sufficient resources for its ongoing disaster operations related to the typhoons affecting the country, including the most recent storm, "Pepito."

A senior DSWD official made the assurance during the a media forum on Saturday in Quezon City.

"DSWD has enough resources. We are grateful to the Department of Budget and Management because we recently received a replenishment of P875 million for our Quick Response Fund," said Disaster Response Management Group Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, when asked if the agency's resources had been depleted due to the numerous typhoons.

Dumlao explained that the replenishment of the Quick Response Fund (QRF) allows the DSWD to fulfill its mandate to provide additional support to local government units (LGUs) affected by disasters.

“With the QRF, nakapag-procure tayo ng additional raw materials na gagamitin para sa mga family food packs (FFPs) na pino-produce sa ating mga hubs. Also, we are able to draw down pre-packed items from the existing framework agreement with our partner retailers and distributors," Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.

“Ito ngang pag-procure natin ng mga additional welfare goods ay magagamit natin para maghanda sa mga susunod pang bagyo,” Dumlao said.

The spokesperson said the DSWD is allowed to request another replenishment once the QRF obligations have reached 50 percent or more.

Dumlao further explained that with the additional raw materials acquired from the QRF replenishment, the combined production capacity of the agency’s Northern Luzon hubs and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) would increase to 50,000 FFPs daily or more.

"So, we hope that walang masyadong emergencies in December, and iyong pino-produce natin na FFPs will be good until the second week of December," the DSWD official pointed out.

Continued prepositioning

Asst. Secretary Dumlao noted that while prepositioned goods are already in place in regions along Pepito's path, the DSWD has intensified its prepositioning efforts.

“Bagamat meron tayong mga naka-preposition na goods sa mga areas [Bicol, Northern Luzon, Eastern Visayas] dyan, nag-reinforce tayo,” the assistant secretary said.

The VDRC has delivered 30,000 FFPs to the Bicol Region.

However, due to the suspension of sea travel at Port Allen, the goods have been redirected to the agency's Northern Samar warehouse.

Another 50,000 FFPs are being loaded today, 16 November, at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City. They are destined for Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, and Quirino.

Dumlao stressed that while the agency continues to respond to areas severely affected by Typhoons "Nika" and "Ofel," it is also enhancing its prepositioning efforts to ensure a timely response to the needs of disaster-affected families.