The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to assist families affected by Typhoon Quinta as it braces for another approaching weather disturbance.

Based on the 6PM, October 29 report of the Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB), the Department has already provided P862,600 worth of assistance to affected local government units (LGUs) in Regions CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, and VII.  More than 170,000 families or over 775,000 individuals from 2,200 barangays in the three regions as well as in Regions III, V, VI, and VIII have been affected.

In Central Visayas Region, DSWD FO VII has released 900 FFPs in Basay town through the assistance of the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental.

DSWD FO CALABARZON has also been coordinating with the Logistics Cluster of the Quezon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) for their assistance in the hauling and delivery of family food packs (FFPs) for distribution to affected localities in the said province.

Aside from augmentation assistance, the Department is also continuously assisting LGUs in monitoring the situation of families staying in evacuation centers. Over 2,000 families or 8,000 individuals are currently staying in 150 evacuation centers in Regions III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, V, and VI.

Meanwhile, the Department has already started its preparations for Severe Tropical Storm ‘Rolly.’

According to DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista during the agency’s weekly virtual presser, “Naka-alerto at naghahanda na ang Kagawaran at ang mga Field Offices nito sa mga lugar na maaring daanan ng bagyo. Ang DSWD ay nakahandang magbigay ng tulong sa mga lokal na pamahalaan upang madagdagan ang kanilang imbentaryo ng mga family food packs at non-food items at tulungan silang tugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng kanilang mga nasasakupan” (The Department and its Field Offices are already on standby and preparing for the storm. DSWD is ready to provide assistance to local governments to increase their inventory of family food packs and non-food items, and to help them meet the needs of their constituents).

DSWD maintains more than P878,000,000 stockpiles and standby funds ready to be used for disaster response operations.

The Department also urged citizens to remain vigilant and to heed the warnings of their local leaders to prevent any untoward incidents brought by the inclement weather. ###