Pasay City: Upon the instructions of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is embarking on the modernization and capacity expansion of the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu to further improve disaster response.

According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian announced that the department has started a modernization and capacity expansion program for family food pack (FFP) production lines in Pasay and Cebu. These hubs are crucial as they service all the regions during calamities. Gatchalian noted that the production capacity has increased significantly from 40,000 to nearly 70,000 FFPs between the two hubs, enhancing the speed of disaster response.

The FFPs produced at the NROC and the VDRC will be allocated for prepositioning to different storage facilities nationwide. The DSWD chief shared this update following his visit to the NROC, where he inspected the newly installed mechanized packing system. This system is designed to increase daily FFP production and ensure adequate supply levels nationwide.

The new system includes three rice bagging machines that use vacuum seal applications, extending rice shelf life and protecting it from impurities. Additionally, to address tracking issues related to the expiry dates of supplies, the DSWD has introduced a new barcoding system for better inventory management, ensuring that every food box is accounted for.

Gatchalian has also instructed the development of a system that sends automated notifications for the expiry of FFP materials directly to the Central Office and all Field Offices. These measures align with President Marcos Jr.'s vision of faster and efficient disaster response to benefit more disaster-affected Filipino families.