Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Thursday (July 27) directed the Ilocos Regional Office to conduct an inventory of family food packs (FFPs) in the Laoag City warehouse, which was partially damaged by the strong winds of Super Typhoon Egay.

“After the storm, let’s take stock of what got damaged and try to salvage what we can,” the DSWD chief told Ilocos Regional Director Marie Angela Gopalan.

Secretary Gatchalian had earlier directed the Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) to dispatch an additional 10,000 FFPs to Ilocos Region as well as in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the Cagayan Valley Region, which was the hardest hit by Super Typhoon Egay.

On Tuesday (July 25), DRMG Assistant Secretary Marlon Alagao dispatched 17,000 FFPs bound for four different warehouses in the Cagayan Valley Region.

“Checking on the trucks dispatched yesterday (July 25) and last night (July 26). Due to heavy rainfall and some flooded roads, there might be some delays on the ETA (expected time of arrival) in your respective warehouses,” the DRMG Asst. Secretary told the regional directors of Regions 1, 2 and CAR.

In her report to the DSWD Secretary, Director Gopalan said the Field Office -1’s satellite warehouse in Barangay Camangaan, Laoag City was partially damaged due to the strong winds and heavy rain last Wednesday.

“Parang ilog na po yung harap at nasira po yung dalawang roll-up dahil po sa lakas ng hangin at ulan. Kaya temporarily ay tinakpan ng guard ng laminated sack yung nasirang roll-up. May mga nabasa po na FFPs approximately ay around 1,000 boxes,” Director Gopalan reported.

Director Gopalan said the security guard attempted to transfer the water-damaged FFPs to another part of the warehouse but the water outside started to rise, preventing the duty guard to finish the transfer of the FFPs.

“Nag-arrange ang team na puntahan ngayon (Thursday) ang warehouse. DPWH will lend rubber boats.Di pumasok ang baha sa warehouse pero dumami ang nabasang FFPs, according to the duty guard,” Director Gopalan reported.

Asst. Secretary Marlon Alagao told the FO-1 regional director to conduct an inventory of the damaged DSWD corrugated boxes so they can be replaced by new boxes where the undamaged relief goods can be transferred.

“Para sa mga nabasang corrugated boxes, after the storm when everybody’s safe, please make an inventory para mapalitan. We hope yung mga bigas majority are vacuum-sealed para ma-repacked pa. The tin cans pag tumagal kakalawangin kaya dapat mapunasan kaagad. The choco malts at coffee sachets confident ako pwede ma-repack,” Asst. Secretary Alagao said.

The DRMG asst. secretary also ordered that the sacks of rice that were exposed to water should be set aside to determine which are still in good condition.

“It was a good thing that the FFPs were placed on plastic pallets as a first defense against presence of water on the warehouse floor,” Asst. Secretary Alagao said.#