KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Soccsksargen assured the public that food and non-food items (FNFIs) are always ready for relief distribution to local government units in times of calamities.
Jerry Dumdum, information officer for DSWD XII disaster and response management division, said they have over 22,000 family food packs (FFPs) on standby at the DSWD warehouses in Morales and New Iloilo.
Each family food pack contains 6 kilograms of rice, 4 cans of tuna, 2 cans of sardines, 4 cans of corned beef, 3-in-1 coffee, and ready-to-eat cereals.
“For 2023, ang welfare goods natin ay nasa P19,999,480. This is almost P20 million ang welfare goods budget natin at sa ngayon po meron tayong standby fund na P5 million,” Dumdum added.
DSWD also assured the efficient and speedy delivery of aid to communities affected by various forms of disasters by streamlining the process of providing relief assistance and basic services to these calamity-stricken areas.
The agency signed agreements with different local governments in the region for the prepositioning of goods and augmentation of supplies to warehouses in strategic sites for easy and immediate distribution in case of disaster.
According to Dumdum, a total of 8,163 FFPs are already prepositioned in partner LGUs and crisis intervention units.
“If i-transport pa po natin ito sa panahon ng sakuna, may delay pa. Unlike this na we already prepositioned ang food packs sa ating LGUs, minuto lang abot na sa ating mga kababayan ang ayuda at tulong,” he added.
These are in Pikit with 1,600 standby FFPs, 1,000 in Kalamansig, 1,000 in Palimbang, 664 in Bagumbayan, 500 in Kiamba, 2,000 in Alabel, 500 in Banga, 200 in Tacurong, and 100 in Kidapawan. (ORVR – PIA South Cotabato)
