Aside from Family Food Packs (FFPs) and Ready-to-Eat Food (RTEF), non-food items such as hygiene kits are now part of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) relief package for those affected by typhoons and other emergencies.

Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the comprehensive disaster relief package is designed to ensure families in evacuation centers do not go hungry and can maintain proper hygiene.

“DSWD, aside from providing family food packs and Ready-to-Eat Food, also distributes non-food items. These vary — we have hygiene kits, family kits, and sleeping kits with different contents. The clothing you mentioned is included in the family kits, while soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste are found in the hygiene kits,” Dumlao told reporters at a news forum in Quezon City.

Dumlao, who also serves as the DSWD spokesperson, emphasized that the distributed relief items are based on the essential needs of disaster-affected families.

“DSWD is not only leading in the provision of food and non-food items — we also take the lead in Camp Coordination and Camp Management, and in the protection of internally displaced persons. So we ensure that the needs of every sector and each family member are addressed. All of this is prepared and prepositioned in different parts of the country,” she explained.

Recognizing the importance of clean and potable water during disasters, Dumlao added that the DSWD has also invested in water trucks and water treatment systems.

“We have deployed these [water trucks and water treatment systems] to our Field Offices,” she said.

The DSWD also distributes water filtration kits to evacuees, Dumlao noted.

“All of this was prepared by the DSWD because we’ve learned so much from past experiences,” she concluded.