Davao city: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed a total of PHP49,661,444 in assistance to residents affected by the recent 7.4 magnitude earthquake in the Davao Region, an agency official reported.
According to Philippines News Agency, Assistant Secretary Juan Carlo Marquez stated that the DSWD has distributed 54,660 family food packs (FFPs) to families impacted by the earthquake-52,660 in Davao Oriental and 2,000 in Davao de Oro. This effort aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive, under Secretary Rex Gatchalian's leadership, to ensure the provision of essential items like food and water to the affected communities.
Prepositioned food packs are also available in Davao del Norte to facilitate quick response if further assistance is needed by local government units (LGUs). Besides FFPs, DSWD Field Office 11 in the Davao Region has supplied ready-to-eat food and non-food items to the affected LGUs.
The assistance amount is projected to increase as LGUs continue their situational assessments, according to the DSWD co-spokesperson. The department's mobile kitchen is actively providing meals to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Tarragona, Davao Oriental, one of the most severely affected areas.
Family tents have been distributed in Manay and Tarragona to offer safe shelter for IDPs, and psychosocial first aid is being conducted in these towns to help residents cope with the trauma. Marquez extended condolences to the families of the earthquake's fatalities and noted that financial assistance has been provided to both bereaved families and those injured.
In collaboration with other national agencies, LGUs, and partner organizations, the DSWD has been working to provide necessary interventions to hospitals heavily impacted by the earthquake. A Mobile Storage Unit (MSU) tent from the World Food Programme was installed to serve as a temporary hospital facility for the Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, and another MSU was set up at Carmen District Hospital to offer temporary shelter while operations normalize.
The DSWD also distributed MSUs to the Davao de Oro Provincial Hospital to support its functions. Marquez assured the Davao residents that the department has ample resources and remains committed to cooperating with LGUs for immediate response efforts.
"The DSWD has enough supplies and resources for sustained disaster operations. Rest assured that we have everyone in mind and the department is always focused on ensuring that no one will be left behind," Marquez stated.
