READY. Boxes of relief items outside the Department of Social Welfare and Development warehouse in Palo, Leyte in this undated photo. The DSWD in Eastern Visayas has prepositioned PHP119.29 million worth of relief items in preparation for the possible impacts of Tropical Depression Aghon in the region. (Photo courtesy of DSWD Eastern Visayas)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas has prepositioned PHP119.29 million worth of relief items in preparation for the possible impact of Tropical Depression Aghon in the region.
The available resources include PHP114.76 million worth of food and non-food items and a PHP4.52 million standby fund, DSWD regional information officer Jonalyndie Chua said in a phone interview Friday.
The relief goods include 91,130 family food packs (FFPs) and 35,602 non-food items (NFIs).
“In response to the possible effects of this weather disturbance, the DSWD field office held a quick response team meeting to discuss the preparedness measures of the agency to respond to the needs of the local government units, which are reported to be potentially affected,” Chua said.
The stock of food supplies in strategic areas of the region will ensure faster delivery of relief goods in case of severe flooding and other disasters, according to Chua.
These goods are prepositioned in Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and DSWD regional resource operations centers in Palo, Leyte, Sogod, Southern Leyte, and Biliran province.
Each FFP contains six 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 NFIs include sleeping kits, hygiene kits, mosquito nets, laminated sacks, plastic mats, modular tents, and kitchen utensils.
Under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, local governments are the first responders and the DSWD must augment the response efforts after disasters.
As of the 5 p.m. bulletin, Aghon was estimated based on all available data at 135 kilometers (km) northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur or 185 km east southeast of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte.
Tropical Cyclone Wind signal No. 1 is hoisted over Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte (San Vicente, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Basud, Daet, Talisay, Mercedes), and Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands in Luzon; Eastern Samar, Samar, Northern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Cebu (San Remigio, Tabogon, City of Bogo, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Borbon) including Camotes Islands, Bantayan Islands and Bohol (Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Bien Unido, Trinidad, Anda, Candijay, Ubay, Mabini, Alicia, San Miguel, Talibon) in the Visayas; and Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur (Sibagat, City of Bayugan, Prosperidad, San Francisco, Rosario, Bunawan, Trento), and Agusan del Norte in Mindanao. (PNA)
