The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has expressed gratitude for the public’s positive reception of its disaster response efforts, following Pulse Asia’s recent Ulat ng Bayan survey results.
The survey revealed that 57 percent of Filipinos approve of the Marcos administration’s measures to assist calamity-stricken areas, reflecting the effectiveness of inter-agency coordination during disasters.
Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, who heads the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), attributed the high approval rating to the seamless collaboration between local government units (LGUs) and national government agencies (NGAs). She emphasized that these partnerships have delivered timely and practical assistance to affected communities.
“As part of the government’s disaster response team, we are deeply grateful for the public’s positive feedback,” Dumlao said in a statement. “This recognition is not merely a badge of honor but a motivator to continuously enhance our disaster response capabilities.”
The DSWD is vice-chair for the Disaster Response and Early Recovery Cluster under the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). It also leads the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster, the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Protection Cluster, and the Food and Non-Food Item Cluster.
These roles position the agency as a key player in ensuring well-coordinated and high-quality humanitarian assistance.
The Pulse Asia survey, conducted from November 26 to December 3, involved face-to-face interviews with 2,400 participants aged 18 and above.
Dumlao highlighted the importance of the Buong Bansa Handa initiative, launched under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, in bolstering the country’s disaster readiness. This program focuses on prepositioning and replenishing relief supplies to ensure swift responses to calamities.
She cited the government’s efficient operations during the successive onslaught of Tropical Cyclones Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel, and Pepito as a testament to the initiative’s success.
“Despite the overlapping impacts of these cyclones, we, along with the private sector and development partners, successfully delivered aid by air, water, and land, embodying a whole-of-nation approach to disaster response,” Dumlao said.
The DSWD is committed to strengthening its partnerships with LGUs, NGAs, and development organizations to enhance disaster management capabilities. The agency’s priorities are expanding repacking centers and increasing storage capacity to ensure a steady supply of relief goods.
“We currently operate nearly 1,000 warehouses, hubs, spokes, and last-mile storage facilities, with 14 new centers recently inaugurated in Calabarzon. However, we aim to establish even more facilities, particularly in disaster-prone and Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA),” Dumlao added.
With continued collaboration and strategic improvements, the DSWD is determined to elevate the country’s disaster response framework and ensure that no Filipino is left behind during calamities.