The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Field Office (FO)-MIMAROPA emphasized that in times of disasters, the FO has protocols in place for a multidimensional disaster response to ensure that those affected are able to recover and resume their normal lives.

DSWD-MIMAROPA Regional Director Leonardo Reynoso affirmed this during the DSWD’s Thursday Media Forum held last October 17, citing his FO employed this approach during the oil spill incident in Oriental Mindoro in February 2023.

“Matatandaan po natin na nagkaroon ng oil spill sa karagatan po na malapit sa bayan ng Naujan noong February 28, 2023. Pero March 3, after 3 days po kasi, meron na tayong assistance na naibigay sa mga initial na nai-report na affected families,” RD Reynoso said as he recalled the immediate response of the DSWD to the affected communities.

While Director Reynoso told reporters that the provision of family food packs (FFPs) to the affected local government units (LGUs) was paramount in ensuring that hunger will not exacerbate the impact of the oil spill, the DSWD’s assistance did not end with this.

“‘Yung naibigay ng DSWD ay humigit kumulang nasa Php816 million kung pagsasamahin natin na meron tayong binigay na family food packs, meron tayong Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT), meron tayong Cash for Work (CFW), meron din po tayong Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), and then meron din po tayong ilan na nabigyan ng livelihood assistance,” Director Reynoso pointed out.

The regional director noted that the livelihood assistance targeted the fisherfolk whose sources of livelihood were compromised as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) suspended fishing activities even in nearby areas from the ground zero of the oil spill.

The DSWD, together with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), particularly tapped on the CFW mechanism to provide temporary employment to the oil spill-affected families.

Around 25,000 locals from Oriental Mindoro were deployed to conduct various activities such as collecting locally available materials for making improvised oil spill boom and absorbent; establishing barangay or backyard gardens; rehabilitating mangroves; and implementing community clean-up drives.

In exchange for the work rendered, the program participants received cash which did not just help with their recovery, but also gave them the opportunity to address their daily necessities and unite towards community-building efforts.

These efforts, according to Director Reynoso, showed the importance of multi-layered interventions and a whole-of-government approach to disaster which has worked effectively as the oil-spill affected families eventually returned to their normal lives.

“Hindi lang naman po yung DSWD ang nagbigay ng asistance, pati ang DOLE katulong po natin yon, at saka yung other national government agencies, meron din silang assistance kung kaya’t naitawid natin ang mga kababayan natin pabalik sa kanilang normal na pamumuhay,” the DSWD official pointed out. #

FO MIMAROPA ng DSWD, iniulat ang importansya ng multi-layered na tulong sa disaster response

Binigyang diin ng Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Field Office (FO)-MIMAROPA na may mga nakalatag na multidimensional disaster response ang field office sa panahon ng kalamidad, upang matiyak na lahat ng mga naapektuhan nito ay makababalik sa normal na pamumuhay.

Sa ginanap na Thursday Media Forum sa DSWD New Press Center, sinabi ni DSWD-MIMAROPA Regional Director Leonardo Reynoso na pinapagana na nila ang ganitong approach simula pa noong oil spill incident sa Oriental Mindoro noong February 2023.

“Matatandaan po natin na nagkaroon ng oil spill sa karagatan po na malapit sa bayan ng Naujan noong February 28, 2023. Pero March 3, after 3 days po kasi, meron na tayong assistance na naibigay sa mga initial na nai-report na affected families,” sabi ni RD Reynoso.

Dagdag pa ng opisyal, bukod aniya sa pamamahagi ng family food packs (FFPs) sa mga apektadong local government units (LGUs) nagbigay pa din aniya ang ahensya ng iba pang tulong upang makaagapay sa pangangailangan ng mga residenteng naapektuhan ng oil spill.

“‘Yung naibigay ng DSWD ay humigit kumulang nasa Php816 million kung pagsasamahin natin na meron tayong binigay na family food packs, meron tayong Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT), meron tayong Cash for Work (CFW), meron din po tayong Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), and then meron din po tayong ilan na nabigyan ng livelihood assistance,” sabi pa ni Director Reynoso.

Ayon pa sa regional director namigay din ng tulong pangkabuhayan ang DSWD FO sa mga mangingisdang nawalan ng trabaho matapos na pansamantalang ipahinto ng Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ang pangingisda sa mga kalapit na bayan na apektado din ng pagtagas ng langis.

Sabi pa ng opisyal, nakipagtulungan ang ahensya sa Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), sa pamamagitan ng cash for work ( CFW) para magkaroon ng pansamantalang trabaho ang mga apektadong pamilya.

Halos 25,000 locals mula Oriental Mindoro ang nabigyan ng pansamantalang pagkakakitaan sa pamamagitan ng pagtatrabaho tulad bg pangungulekta ng materials na maaaring makatulong upang matanggal ang langis sa tubig at iba pang gawain tulad ng community clean-up drives.

At bilang kapalit sa kanilang pagtatrabaho, nakakatanggap ang mga residente ng cash sa pamamagitan ng CFW.

“Hindi lang naman po yung DSWD ang nagbigay ng asistance, pati ang DOLE katulong po natin yon, at saka yung other national government agencies, meron din silang assistance kung kaya’t naitawid natin ang mga kababayan natin pabalik sa kanilang normal na pamumuhay,” sabi pa nya.#