With more than 3 million boxes of family food packs (FFPs) prepositioned nationwide, the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is well-prepared to provide relief items to families who will be needing aid amid the new low pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said on Wednesday (July 16) the agency is closely monitoring the LPA that has a high chance of developing into a tropical cyclone based on the PAG-ASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) 4:00 AM report.
“In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of an omnipresent government — hindi natin hinahayaan na umabot pa sa worst case scenario yung mga looming disasters before we act. Tulad rito sa case ng LPA, hindi pa siya bagyo pero we make sure that our stockpiles are not only abundant but closest to areas projected to be heavily affected by the weather system.” Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.
Aside from the 3M boxes of FFPs in 934 storage facilities nationwide, the agency also has a stockpile of Php773,134,509-worth of non-food items (NFIs) such as family, hygiene, kitchen and sleeping kits; water containers; and other shelter materials that may be needed inside evacuation centers.
The DSWD’s disaster preparedness is anchored on the agency’s ‘Buong Bansa Handa’ (BBH), a program launched in 2023 based on the directive of President Marcos Jr for fail-safe mechanisms in the country’s supply chains during times of calamities.
The program features two supply chains. The first supply chain is pulled from the enhanced and expedited production of family food packs (FFPs) at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City.
The second line is a private-sector driven supply chain, where the DSWD has partnered with large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors for faster procurement of relief supplies.
This was proven effective during the consecutive onset of storms in 2024, where the agency was able to haul pre-packed relief goods from partners, according to the DSWD spokesperson.
“Year-round, we commit to the daily production of new boxes of family food packs para kahit tuloy-tuloy ang distribution, hindi tayo mauubusan. All hands are on deck to make sure that these supplies are spread out and made accessible for immediate distribution to
our disaster-hit communities. Araw-araw natin sinisiguro yan, at mas pinapatindi pa natin lalo na ngayong rainy season,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said. (LSJ)