BEEFING UP. Personnel from the Army and Coast Guard unload family food packs to beef up supply in Eastern Visayas in this Feb. 11, 2023 photo. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned 40,088 family food packs (FFPs) in strategic areas of Eastern Visayas primarily for the impacts of weather disturbances. (Photo courtesy of DSWD)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned 40,088 family food packs (FFPs) in strategic areas of Eastern Visayas primarily for the impacts of weather disturbances.
The stock of food supplies worth PHP26.98 million will ensure faster delivery of relief goods in case of disasters, especially since portions of the region, are affected by Tropical Depression Amang, the DSWD regional office here said in a statement on Wednesday.
These FFPs are stored in warehouses in Allen and Biri towns in Northern Samar; Jipapad, Taft, and in Guiuan in Eastern Samar; Almagro and Santo Niño in Samar; Maripipi Island, Kawayan, and Naval in Biliran province, Sogod, Southern Leyte; and DSWD regional resource operations center in Palo, Leyte.
“The DSWD is ready to respond to any calamities especially that some parts of the region were affected by Tropical Depression Amang,” the regional office of DSWD said.
Each FFP contains 6 kilos of rice, four cans of corned beef, four cans of tuna flakes, two cans of sardines, five sachets of coffee and five sachets of cereal drinks.
The DSWD has also prepared 14,492 non-food items worth PHP20.02 million.
1.7K passengers stranded
Meanwhile, at least 1,737 Luzon-bound passengers and 287 rolling cargoes have been stranded in Allen and San Isidro ports in Northern Samar as of Wednesday morning due to the cancellation of ferry boat trips, the Northern Samar provincial government reported.
Authorities have suspended trips in Bicol ports due to rough seas brought by the tropical depression.
As of Wednesday noon, Tropical Depression Amang maintains its strength as it meanders over the Lagonoy Gulf in Bicol. It has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and a gustiness of up to 55 kilometers per hour. (PNA)
