The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) now has a total of 3,000,658 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) prepositioned across the agency’s warehouses nationwide — the highest stockpile recorded so far in the Department’s history.
Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said this record reflects the agency’s untiring dedication to bolster year-round preparation for disasters and calamities.
“This big number will go a long way in ensuring that our relief resources can sustain our disaster response efforts,” Assistant Secretary Dumlao who is also the DSWD’s spokesperson said on Monday ( May 19).
The DRMG official said that of the over 3 million FFPs, the bulk or 2,207,124 have already been delivered and prepositioned at various hubs, spokes, and last-mile facilities across the country.
Over 790,000 FFPs, on the other hand, are ready to be dispatched from the major production hubs of the agency which are the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Response Center (VDRC) in Cebu where production of relief items are conducted daily.
Assistant Secretary Dumlao said the DSWD’s enhanced relief preparation and prepositioning efforts are part of Secretary Rex Gatchalian and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s thrust toward a more ‘omnipresent’ government response to disasters and calamities.
“When Secretary Rex Gatchalian joined the Department in 2023, in less than five months, he really worked hard so we can launch the Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) initiative and transform how we manage our disaster response efforts,” Assistant Secretary Dumlao explained.
Under the BBH, the agency has strategically prepositioned and ensured the availability of goods even before a disaster strikes in certain area. It employs two parallel supply chain mechanisms to optimize disaster preparedness and response.
The first supply chain features a national and local government-driven supply chain, while the second forges partnerships with established large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors to leverage on their technical expertise and resources to create a private sector-driven supply chain.
Assistant Secretary Dumlao said the DSWD also owes the record-breaking number to the people who continue to help fast-track the agency’s prepositioning efforts.
“We also want to honor our ever-hardworking and tireless employees – our ‘Angels in Red Vest,’ as well as our volunteers who flock to our production centers to help with our daily operations. Your compassion and commitment reflect the true spirit of modern bayanihan, bringing hope and relief to our kababayans in need,” Assistant Secretary Dumlao pointed out. (LSJ)