QUEZON CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) is on red alert status as the Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Carina continues to bring rain in many parts of Luzon and Visayas islands, an official of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said on Tuesday (July 23).
“Secretary Rex Gatchalian has ordered the DRCC and the DSWD Field Offices (FOs) to be on the highest level of readiness as ‘Habagat’ intensifies due to Typhoon Carina,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.
According to DRMG asst. secretary, a red alert means that all human and material resources are made available for duty and deployment.
Based on the July 23 report of the DSWD-Disaster Response Operations Management, Information Center (DROMIC), the agency has already provided an initial Php190,124 worth of humanitarian assistance to the affected localities in Regions 3 (Central Luzon), 5 (Bicol), and 6 (Western Visayas).
The National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB), the DSWD’s logistics arm under the DRMG, ensures the replenishment and availability of food and non-food items (FNIs) for resource augmentation to DSWD FOs as the need arises.
“Our DSWD in Western Visayas has provided FNIs to the families and persons affected by the effects of Habagat and Typhoon Carina in Iloilo City,” the DSWD spokesperson said.
All the affected DSWD FOs are closely coordinating with the local government units (LGUs) and other concerned offices for significant updates and any augmentation requests.
As of press time, some 224 families or 975 persons have been affected in Bataan, Pampanga, Camarines Sur, Masbate, and Iloilo City.
There are 46 families or 152 persons currently taking temporary shelter in six evacuation centers in Central Luzon and Western Visayas regions.
“The DSWD currently maintains Php 2.5 billion worth of stockpile and stand by funds available for augmentation,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
A total of 1,543,560 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) have been prepositioned in the different warehouses and resource centers, of which 129,735 FFPs are at the NROC in Pasay City, while 93,516 FFPs are at the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, and 442,125 FFPs are available at DSWD’s regional offices 3, 5, and 6.
Meanwhile, a total of 878,184 FFPs are available in other DSWD FOs which may support the relief needs of the affected families through inter-FO augmentation. (DSWD)
