P4.1M in relief aid distributed as ‘Crising’ displaces thousands

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Saturday reported it has distributed over P4.1 million in humanitarian aid to families affected by the southwest monsoon and Severe Tropical Storm Crising, as the agency ramps up disaster response efforts across seven affected regions.

Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City that, as of 6 a.m., more than 68,000 families—or roughly 215,000 individuals—from Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), MIMAROPA, 5 (Bicol), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), and 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) have been affected by Crising. Around 5,400 families are currently in evacuation centers.

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. instructed us to ensure the safety and peace of mind of our fellow citizens affected by disasters. This is only the initial wave of assistance, which includes family food packs and non-food items,” Dumlao, who also serves as DSWD spokesperson, said.

To sustain relief operations, Dumlao said the DSWD maintains over P2.9 billion in standby funds and stockpiles, including Quick Response Funds (QRF) and around 3 million prepositioned food packs across the country.

“Our food pack production continues at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) and the Visayas Disaster Response Center (VDRC). If we need to replenish stockpiles in regional warehouses or final-mile locations, we can do so immediately because production is ongoing at our major hubs,” she added.

Dumlao also cited the agency’s Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program for significantly improving disaster readiness through public-private supply chains. This has enabled rapid augmentation of local government resources, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).

"Thanks to the BBH program, we’ve forged prepositioning agreements with various local government units and private organizations. This allows our goods to already be on the ground in areas that are vulnerable to hazards," Dumlao explained.

She noted that with the introduction of mechanized packing systems at the NROC in Pasay and the VDRC in Cebu, food pack production has increased drastically from 5,000–10,000 manually packed boxes per day to a combined daily output of 50,000.

“From manual packing, we can now produce up to 50,000 food packs a day with mechanized systems,” Dumlao said.
“Faster production means faster delivery of aid to those in need,” she added.

The DSWD’s enhanced warehouse inventory system ensures food safety and traceability. Each food pack has a barcode with a manufacturing date, expiration date, and designated destination, minimizing spoilage and allowing for accurate tracking.

Despite the ongoing distribution of aid, Dumlao emphasized that the DSWD maintains a steady stockpile of 3 million food packs.

“Even as we distribute aid, we immediately replenish stocks in our warehouses because our major hubs are producing continuously,” she said.