As Tropical Cyclone “Crising” brings heavy rains in the country, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured on Thursday (July 17) that the agency’s relief resources are in place and disaster response teams are activated for any eventuality.
Secretary Gatchalian said the agency’s Disaster Response Command Center (DRCC) at the Central Office in Quezon City is now on red alert status 24/7 in response to the National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Memorandum No. 170, s.
2025.
“So ang command center natin dito sa DSWD ay laging naka-operate para ma-match namin yung pangangailangan ng evacuation center sa pinakamalapit na warehouse natin na may available na goods. Basta ang importante sa atin ay mabilis at maagap na pagkalinga sa mga nagiging biktima sa mga sakuna,” Secretary Gatchalian told reporters in an ambush interview during his inspection of the DRCC.
The DSWD’s DRCC serves as the central command center for coordinating and implementing the agency’s disaster response operations. Under ‘Red Alert Status’, more back-up DSWD personnel will be on duty at the center to expedite necessary disaster operations.
Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that ahead of Crising, the DSWD already prepositioned 3
million boxes of family food packs (FFPs) across 934 storage hubs nationwide complemented by the continuous production of new relief supplies at the agency’s main warehouses, the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City and the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City in Cebu province.
All of these proactive approaches align with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s marching
orders to ensure government aid could immediately bring comfort to disaster-hit communities, according to the DSWD chief.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang ating production at pag stockpile sa iba’t-iba nating warehouse— kulang kulang na isang libo yan sa buong bansa —- ng mga prepositioned na mga goods. So makakaasa tayo na kung sakaling sasama ang epekto at may pamilyang lilikas o maapektuhan, hindi sila magugutom,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
Secretary Gatchalian also directed all of the agency’s Field Offices (FOs) nationwide to
make sure that disaster response personnel will be immediately deployed and relief goods will be swiftly distributed to areas in need of aid any time of the day.
“Lahat sila required sila to be on their post. Walang uwian to hanggang sa dumaan ang bagyo, para siguraduhin rin nila na yung stockpile ay in place at handang umagapay sa mga local government units,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), who is also the agency spokesperson, said the Department will send disaster response personnel to the NDRRMC Operation Center in accordance with the ‘Red Alert Status’ hoisted by the NDRRMC.
“Meron na tayong iba’t-ibang personnel na ide-deploy na doon sa OCD para mas maayos at mabilis ang coordination — para maka-respond agad tayo sa mga request ng iba’t-ibang local government units,’ Asst. Secretary Dumlao told reporters during the DSWD Thursday (July 17) Media Forum at the Central Office’s New Press Center.
As of press time, the DSWD has Php2.9 billion-worth of standby funds and stockpile, comprising more than 3 million FFPs and with at least 28,107 ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes and 334,791 non-food items (NFIs). (LSJ)