With Super Typhoon (ST) Inday now in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has assured the public of its readiness to immediately send augmentation assistance to localities that will be affected by the weather disturbance.

“Nakahanda tayo na umalalay sa mga local government units (LGUs) na maaring maapektuhan nitong si Bagyong Inday. Sa katunayan mayroong tayong higit 4.7 million family food (FFPs) packs yung naka-prepositioned sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng ating bansa,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas World Service on Wednesday (July 8).

Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, emphasized that aside from FFPs, there are also ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes stored in all major ports of the country, and non-food items prepositioned in various warehouses.

“Tayo rin po ay nakapag-preposition na ng mga ready-to-eat food boxes sa mga major ports across the country, and mayroon na rin po tayong mga non-food items na naka-prepositioned. Sa madaling salita ang mga goods po o ang mga relief goods ng DSWD ay nasa ground na po and ready for distribution in case kakailanganin po ng karagdagang tulong [ng LGUs],” the DSWD spokesperson said.

Asst. Secretary Dumlao emphasized that the DSWD has recently finished its delivery of additional FFPs to the province of Batanes, in preparation for the onslaught of ST Inday.

“Nakumpleto na rin po natin yung pagpapadala ng karagdagang goods dyan nga po sa Batanes kasi nakita natin na isa ito doon sa mga maaapektuhan. Now for Region 1 (Ilocos Region), we have more than 105,000 family food packs. Sa Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) naman po, we have more than 217,000 family food packs na naka-preposition po sa mga warehouses natin dyan sa Region 2. Nabanggit ko yung sa Batanes, ang full capacity natin diyan nasa more than 20,000 [FFPs], in fact, more than 23,000 [FFPs] ang nasa Batanes na po,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.

As part of the Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) initiative, the DSWD has framework agreements with various suppliers that can be drawn down at any time to augment the relief goods provided to affected LGUs.

Aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to create two resilient supply chains during calamities, the BBH initiative synergizes public and private sector capabilities to streamline relief efforts, allowing for a more rapid and effective response that protects the well-being of those impacted by disasters. (AKDL)