The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported Wednesday that it has been granted authority to utilize emergency lanes along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to fast-track the delivery of relief assistance to several areas affected by recent tropical cyclones and the southwest monsoon or Habagat.

“Sa tulong ng NLEX management, nabigyan ang mga delivery trucks ng DSWD ng authority na dumaan sa mga emergency lanes ng NLEX upang agad na maipadala ang mga family food packs (FFPs) at mga non-food items sa mga lokalidad na naapektuhan ng matinding pag-ulan at baha sa Central Luzon at mga karatig na rehiyon,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Leo Quintilla said.

(With the help of NLEX management, DSWD delivery trucks were given the authority to pass through the emergency lanes of NLEX so that family food packs (FFPs) and non-food items can immediately be delivered to localities affected by heavy rains and flooding in Central Luzon and neighboring regions.)

Quintilla stressed that the agency needs to immediately replenish the stockpiles of local government units (LGUs) that have been severely affected, as the distribution of relief goods continues.

He said the DSWD expects to complete the replenishment of its warehouse stocks within five days.

“Maglalagay ng mga visibility certificates o signage ang mga DSWD delivery trucks na may kalakip na delivery receipts at ‘do not delay’ signs para makita agad ng mga traffic enforcers at NLEX personnel ang ating mga trucks at mabilis silang makadaan,” the DSWD official said.

(Our DSWD delivery trucks will have visibility certificates or signage, along with delivery receipts and ‘do not delay’ signs, so that traffic enforcers and NLEX personnel can immediately see our trucks and allow them to pass quickly.)

The agency is set to deliver 380,000 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) to Central Luzon through the utilization of the NLEX emergency lanes.

The DSWD also continues its repacking operations at the Luzon Disaster Resource Center (LDRC) in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, where volunteers are assisting in the repacking activities alongside the agency’s mechanized production systems.

The social welfare department reported more than 3.5 million FFPs have been prepositioned in hubs, spokes, and last-mile warehouses nationwide, ready for immediate deployment during disasters.