MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday assured the public of its readiness to respond to families that may be affected by Tropical Storm Maymay (international name Kujira) even as ongoing disaster response operations for the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, Mayon Volcano threat and other calamities continue.
Based on Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 5 issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) at 11 a.m., Signal No. 2 has been raised over locos Sur, the northern and central portions of La Union, the northwestern portion of Pangasinan, the southwestern portion of Abra, the western portion of Mountain Province, and the northwestern portion of Benguet.
Aside from Maymay, PAGASA also warned that the enhanced southwest monsoon or “habagat” will continue to bring moderate to heavy rains over areas in Metro Manila, most of Luzon and Visayas, and parts of Mindanao, raising the risk of flooding and landslides in areas all over the country.
In a radio interview, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the department has intensified its monitoring and coordination with local government units (LGUs) and other partner agencies to ensure the immediate delivery of assistance should the need arise.
“Patuloy po nating mino-monitor ang galaw ng Maymay at ang patuloy na epekto ng habagat sa iba’t ibang bahagi po ng ating bansa. Nakaalerto na po ang disaster response teams, gayundin ang iba pang mga personnel ng ating Central Office at Field Offices nationwide para agad na makapagbigay ng kinakailangang tulong sa mga pamilyang maaaring maapektuhan ng malakas na pag-ulan, pagbaha, at iba pang panganib dulot ng sama ng panahon (We continue to monitor the movement of Maymay and the continuing effect of the habagat in various parts of the country. The disaster response teams and other personnel of our Central Office and Field Offices nationwide are on alert to immediately provide needed assistance to families that may be affected by heavy rains, flooding and other threats posed by the inclement weather),” the DSWD spokesperson said.
Based on the latest Disaster Response Operations Monitoring, Information and Communication (DROMIC) report as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, the DSWD has 4.999 million family food packs (FFPs) strategically prepositioned across disaster resource centers, regional warehouses, and hubs nationwide.
The DSWD also has sufficient stocks of ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes and other food and non-food items (FNFIs), as well as PHP1.66 billion worth of Quick Response Fund (QRF) available at the DSWD Central Office to support immediate disaster response operations.
“Ang kautusan ng Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa DSWD (ay) tiyakin na maging mabilis at sapat ang tulong na naipapaabot natin sa atin pong mga kababayan na naapektuhan ng iba’t ibang mga kalamidad. Kaya po tinitiyak ng DSWD na mayroon tayong sapat na prepositioned goods sa iba’t ibang warehouses sa buong bansa. Nasa 4.9 million family food packs ang nasa ating stockpile sa kasalukuyan (The order of President Marcos to the DSWD is to ensure the prompt and ample provision of assistance to our countrymen who will be affected by various calamities. That’s why the DSWD ensures that we have enough prepositioned goods in various warehouses nationwide),” Dumlao said.
“So nakikita natin na hindi lamang po naghahanda ang DSWD kapag may mga kalamidad na. Araw-araw nagpo-produce tayo ng food packs para madali tayong makatugon sa mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan na naapektuhan (The DSWD does not only prepare if there is a calamity. We produce food packs daily so that we can immediately respond to the needs of families that may be affected).”
The DSWD advised the public to monitor official weather bulletins issued by PAGASA and announcements from the respective LGUs while taking necessary precautions against the possible effects of Maymay and the habagat. (PNA)