MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has intensified its relief and response operations for communities severely affected by the ongoing dry spell across the country due to the El Niño phenomenon.
“Patuloy ang ating pagpapaabot ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan na labis na naapektuhan ng tagtuyot para matiyak natin na agad silang makabangon o kaya naman ay hindi sila lubusang malugmok mula sa epekto ng El Niño (We continue to extend assistance to our fellow citizens who are severely affected by the drought to ensure they can recover quickly or to prevent them from falling in despair due to the effects of El Niño),” DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a news release Tuesday.
As of Oct. 13, the DSWD has recorded a total of 233,930 affected families or 561,757 individuals across 3,893 barangays in Region 1 (Ilocos Region), Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Region 5 (Bicol Region), Region 7 (Central Visayas), Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) and Region 13 (Caraga).
To support the immediate relief requirements of the affected localities, the DSWD has already extended humanitarian assistance amounting to PHP765.58 million, including 52,512 family food packs (FFPs), 4,967 other food items and 2,300 non-food items (NFIs).
Through the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Assistance – Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT), the DSWD has also provided cash transfers to 77,260 beneficiaries amounting to PHP732.308 million
Dumlao said the DSWD maintains a strong stockpile of relief supplies nationwide, which currently includes 4,401,178 FFPs, 341,449 NFIs, 216,273 ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes and standby fund of over PHP336.2 million.
“Alinsunod po ito sa utos ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na siguraduhin na (This is in line with the directive of President Marcos to ensure that) no affected family goes hungry, the DSWD continues to work around the clock katulong po ang (with the help of) local government units to deliver immediate relief and financial aid to vulnerable sectors,” Dumlao said.
To ensure relief operations remain swift and targeted, the DSWD’s Field Offices (FOs) have been actively distributing direct assistance to hard-hit agrarian communities in the affected provinces.
In Cagayan Valley Region, the DSWD FO 2 completed the payout of UPLIFT disaster assistance to 77,260 farmers in Isabela province affected by El Niño related incidents. The cash aid, amounting to PHP732,308,250 in total, aims to help the beneficiaries recover from crop losses and meet their daily household needs.
In Bicol Region, the DSWD FO 5 ramped up its relief operations by delivering a combined total of 20,881 food packs to drought-stricken farming families across the provinces of Camarines Norte, Albay, Catanduanes and Masbate.
“Palagi po naming sinasabi (As we always say), the Department is always prepared to augment resource requests from the local government and mobilize prepositioned stockpiles to protect affected agricultural workers and marginalized households from the prolonged effects of the dry spell,” Dumlao pointed out.
The DSWD continues to closely coordinate with affected local government units (LGUs) and track weather updates to ensure prompt intervention and support in all impacted areas. (PNA)
