The department of social welfare and development (dswd): has intensified its relief operations to assist communities affected by the combined impact of the enhanced southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay.
According to Philippines News Agency, disaster response teams in regional offices are on alert to swiftly meet the needs of local government units. Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD's Disaster Response Management Group stated in a news release that family food packs and ready-to-eat food boxes have already been distributed to affected communities to address their immediate needs.
The latest Disaster Response Operations Monitoring, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) report, as of 6 a.m., indicates that the DSWD has distributed 1,244 family food packs, 266 non-food items, and 634 ready-to-eat food packs to displaced families. The weather disturbances have impacted 26,412 families, or 88,738 individuals, across 290 barangays.
The DSWD's resource augmentation support has amounted to PHP1.79 million in humanitarian assistance for communities in Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9. The spokesperson highlighted the ongoing situation monitoring and collaboration with local government units to address emerging needs, emphasizing the DSWD's readiness to augment resources as necessary.
Under the Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program, the DSWD ensures continuity in relief operations with nationwide prepositioned supplies exceeding 5 million family food packs. The agency also maintains a stockpile of 257,601 non-food items, 349,231 ready-to-eat food boxes, and 16,038 other food items.
Dumlao assured the public that the DSWD is fully operationally prepared with over PHP6.11 billion in available relief resources. The response aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to ensure timely and sufficient relief reaches all disaster-affected families and communities.
The DSWD urges the public to stay informed through official weather bulletins and adhere strictly to directives from local authorities.
