Members of the House Committee on Appropriations commended the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday (August 21) for its fast and efficient response in disaster relief operations, particularly during the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina.
Several congressmen present in the deliberation of the DSWD’s 2025 proposed budget lauded Secretary Rex Gatchalian and some of the agency’s regional directors (RDs) for their swift action on their requests for family food packs (FFPs).
“Thank you so much DSWD for being so responsive. Kami po ay nangangailangan, napakabilis ng pagresponde ninyo. Hindi lamang si Secretary kundi si RD , basta lahat po kayo napaka-responsive and at the same time, sa staff na naka-assign po sa amin, bilib po ako sa kanila, any day, kahit anong oras, mapa-linggo, mapa-alas singko, mapa-gabi wala po silang reklamo,” Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo said during her interpellation.
Iloilo City Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda also expressed her gratitude to the agency for the immediate response during the Mt. Kanlaon volcanic eruption.
“I would like to commend Secretary Rex for his exemplary service, not only that, isang text mo lang, aksyon agad…nakita ko rin kung paano ka rumesponde noong panahon ng Kanlaon sa Negros Occidental. All of you went there and nabigyan nyo ng tulong ang Rehiyon 6,” Rep. Baronda said.
Another solon who commended the DSWD was Nueva Ecija 3rd District Rep. Rosanna “Ria” Vergara, pointing out that the DSWD is “on the job, 24/7, even on Sundays.”
“We had a flash flood in my district three Sundays ago, I texted the good Secretary and within 30 seconds, called me up and asked me exactly what I needed. Within 48 hours, almost 20,000 food packs were sent to my district, especially
Cabanatuan and Sta. Rosa,” Rep. Vergara said.
In response to the commendations received by the DSWD, Secretary Gatchalian assured the legislators that the agency will continue to render efficient and responsive disaster response.
“We’ve released close to 1.5 million family food packs nationwide and if there are more requirements for recovery, we will gladly accommodate them,” the DSWD chief assured the solons at the budget deliberation. #