Left photo Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo discussing the contents of the family food pack with Director Emmanuel Privado during his visit to the National Resource Operations Center(NROC). Right photo shows Secretary Tulfo talking to one of the fire vcitms who received DSWD assistance.
Left photo Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo discussing the contents of the family food pack with Director Emmanuel Privado during his visit to the National Resource Operations Center(NROC). Right photo shows Secretary Tulfo talking to one of the fire vcitms who received DSWD assistance.

With the onset of the rainy season, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo visited today July 6, the National Resource Operations Center (NROC), the Department’s production resource center located in Pasay City, to inspect its readiness in producing family food packs for families affected by typhoons, flooding, and other disasters.

The Secretary went around the warehouses and checked on the mechanized production system of the Department, as well as the contents of the Family Food Packs (FFPs). Secretary Tulfo also inspected the delivery trucks used for transporting goods and the repacked relief supplies currently stored at the warehouses.

Secretary Tulfo said that the NROC is a production resource center which can produce an average of 20,000 food packs a day from 8:00am to 5:00pm. The resource center can supply to regions, but basically serves the entire Luzon cluster.

The Secretary stressed, “Chineck natin ang kahandaan nila (NROC). Alam niyo naman na Typhoon Season na ngayon baka biglang bumaha especially sa NCR. Chineck natin, mukhang okay naman. May sapat tayong relief packs, hygiene kits, at iyong mga sasakyang pang delivery, nakahanda namang lahat” (We checked the readiness of NROC. As you know, it is already Typhoon Season at it may bring flooding especially in NCR. We checked and it seems okay. We have enough relief packs, hygiene kits, and the delivery trucks are all ready).

Prepositioning food packs in LGUs

The Secretary also shared that he had already given instructions, “Ibaba lahat ng mga food packs sa mga regions para naka-preposition na. Pinalabas na ang (ibang) mga relief (goods), nakalabas na ang ibang mga trucks for delivery” (Download the food packs to the regions for prepositioning. The relief goods are already out, with the trucks already out for delivery).

He said that this is in line with the directive of the Marcos Administration for a proactive government and not reactive.

The prepositioning of food packs at the local government unit (LGU) level was discontinued during the time of President Duterte as there were news that politicians were using them illegally.

Moreover, the Secretary also assured the LGUs that the production of food packs is continuous. He encouraged the principle of “first in, first out system in relief distribution” to avoid expiration of goods.

Secretary Tulfo also stressed that the Department has ample budget for its disaster operations, as well as the implementation of programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

Responding to the needs of the fire victims

After the visit in NROC, Secretary Tulfo went straight to Gagalangin, Tondo to oversee the distribution of assistance to the families whose houses were affected by the fire that broke out in the early evening of July 5. Thirty-two families were provided with family food packs, hygiene kits, and financial assistance worth P10,000 each.

Johcel Dayrit Guevarra, one of the victims, expressed her gratitude to the Secretary and to the Department for the immediate assistance.

She said, “Malaking bagay po itong may agarang tulong para sa tulad namin para makapagsimula muli. May maipapambili ng pagkain at iba pang pangangailangan kasi tulad nito, pati pera nawala sa sunog (The immediate assistance provided for us is of great help especially as we start over. We now have money to buy food and other needs, as we also lost our money to the fire).”

To date, all validated victims of the fire had already been provided with the assistance. The DSWD, however, is still coordinating with the Manila City Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) if there are other victims.