Photo courtesy of DSWD-5
The Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed 6,092 family food packs to households in Pio Duran, Albay, affected by El Niño and the enhanced southwest monsoon.
The assistance reached families in the coastal barangays of Basicao Coastal, Marigondon, Banawan, Barangays 1 to 5, Buenavista and Malidong on Tuesday.
DSWD Bicol disaster response chief Claudio Villareal said the recipients largely depended on agriculture for their livelihood and had been affected by the prolonged dry spell and adverse weather.
The municipal government had earlier declared a state of emergency because of the combined impact of El Niño and habagat on local communities.
The food packs were valued at Php 3.3 million and were intended to support a family of five for up to three days under existing DSWD guidelines.
Villareal said the agency could extend further assistance after assessments and depending on available funds.
Possible interventions included livelihood support, financial aid, emergency cash transfers and food or cash-for-work programs for qualified families.
As of July 7, DSWD Bicol had prepositioned 345,945 family food packs, 8,155 water supplies, 22,039 ready-to-eat food packs and thousands of non-food items for possible disaster response across the region.