The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in MIMAROPA has joined other government agencies in the region, through the Regional El Niño Task Force, to assist locals who are affected and will be affected by the drought that is prevailing in the country.

According to the latest report of the Regional El Niño Task Force, which is headed by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-MIMAROPA, the provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Palawan, and Romblon have been experiencing prolonged dry spell since February 2019.  These provinces may also be affected by El Niño by the end of May.

Member-agencies of the Task Force have developed their respective plans to mitigate the effects of the problem.

For its part, DSWD-MIMAROPA has alerted its Provincial/City/Municipal Quick Response Teams (QRTs) in the said provinces to be at on-call status and to regularly monitor the situation in their respective areas. 

Food and non-food items are ready for distribution to affected areas at any given time.  It will release food packs thru Food-for-Work (FFW) project for the affected families in Marinduque following the approval of the Department’s petition for exemption of its routine and normal prohibition against release, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds as stated under Section 262 (v.2) of the Omnibus Election Code.

DSWD Field Office IV-B is also closely coordinating with the Office of Civil Defense, Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs) for other interventions and services that maybe needed by affected families. ###