Maguindanao: In response to the intense rains and flooding in Mindanao, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday ordered the agency's Field Office 12 - Soccsksargen to immediately deliver 30,000 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) to Maguindanao in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). This move aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to ensure immediate disaster response to the affected families.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DSWD chief directed FO-12 Regional Director Loreto Cabaya Jr. to coordinate the full deployment of the food packs by Wednesday. Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD's Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) highlighted the swift response of FO-12, which resulted in the rapid delivery of relief goods to both Maguindanao Del Norte and Maguindanao Del Sur.

Dumlao stated that disaster teams from DSWD FO-12 were able to deploy at least 28,000 FFPs in line with Secretary Gatchalian's directives, ensuring the immediate distribution upon arrival. The urgent response is crucial, as President Marcos emphasized the importance of providing immediate relief to families affected in Mindanao.

As of the latest reports, DSWD Soccsksargen has commenced distributing FFPs to 5,111 families in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao Del Sur, and 5,649 FFPs in northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao Del Norte. Dumlao noted that the agency receives constant updates on distribution efforts and coordinates closely with local government units and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (MDRRMC) to expedite aid delivery.

By 2 p.m., the DSWD reported that 5,215 families from Soccsksargen and 81,519 families from the BARMM were affected by heavy rains triggered by the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The agency has extended nearly PHP4 million worth of humanitarian assistance, including FFPs, drinking water, and non-food items such as family, hygiene, kitchen, and sleeping kits to the disaster-affected regions in Mindanao.

Dumlao anticipates that the assistance numbers will increase as more information and data are gathered from the ongoing disaster response efforts in the affected areas.