Families and individuals in Zamboanga City who were impacted by the effects of the Southwest Monsoon have received Php2,017,030 in relief assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), an agency official reported on Tuesday (June 10).
Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the initial aid consists of 892 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) and 500 family kits.
“Our Field Office (FO) is always on high alert, monitoring communities affected by the heavy rains spawned by the Southwest Monsoon. Tuluy-tuloy rin ‘yung koordinasyon natin with the local government units (LGUs) para makapagbigay ng agarang tulong at kapanatagan sa mga apektadong pamilya, alinsunod na rin po sa marching order ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,” Assistant Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.
The DSWD ensures the timely provision of aid to the affected families under the banner ‘Buong Bansa Handa’ (BBH) strategy which is based on the directive of the President for swift and sufficient response to those in need, especially in times of disasters.
The DSWD spokesperson said the Department is expecting an uptick in the LGU requests for augmentation support as an increase in the number of affected families is expected with the consolidation of data in the coming days.
As of the latest Disaster Response Operations, Information and Communication (DROMIC) report, a total of 4,633 families or 15,971 individuals from 38 barangays in Regions 3 (Central Luzon) and 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) have been impacted by the inclement weather triggered by the Southwest Monsoon
Asst. Secretary Dumlao likewise affirmed that the DSWD is well-equipped to provide more aid if the need arises, with over 3 million FFPs already prepositioned in agency warehouses nationwide ahead of the rainy season.
“More than anything, lagi pong priority ng Department ang maparamdam sa mga tao that the government is always with them— looking after their needs. We are one with our President in ensuring that no Filipino would go hungry in times of disasters or emergencies,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out.
The DSWD also maintains more than Php209M in stand-by funds ready to be tapped for ongoing disaster response operations. (LSJ)