DSWD deploys Cebu mobile kitchens

Because nothing beats a hot, home-cooked meal in times of crisis, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has deployed three more mobile kitchens to evacuation centers in Cebu, aiming to bring warmth and nourishment to families displaced by the recent magnitude 6.9 earthquake.

The mobile food trucks — complete with cooking facilities and staff — are part of the agency’s expanded disaster response.

“These kitchens are more than just equipment. They’re a lifeline,” said Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, spokesperson for the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group. “They allow us to serve freshly prepared, nutritious meals to families who’ve lost their homes, their routine, and their sense of normalcy.”

On Saturday, the mobile kitchen from Western Visayas arrived at the San Remigio Sports Complex in northern Cebu, one of the areas hardest hit by the quake. Two more kitchens from CALABARZON and Eastern Visayas are on their way and expected to start operating by Sunday or Monday.

The rollout is part of the DSWD’s effort to ease what Dumlao called “FFP-fatigue” — when evacuees grow tired of relying solely on family food packs and ready-to-eat meals.

“With long-term displacement, it’s not just about feeding people—it’s about preserving their dignity, health, and morale,” Dumlao said.