Press Release
MANILA – Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Saturday assured that the government will provide everything that the province of Davao Oriental needs to help residents recover from the twin earthquakes that struck the province.
Gatchalian also assured Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang that the DSWD has more than enough food and non-food items (FNFIs) to sustain disaster response and will continue to augment supplies as needed.
“We have tons of family food packs — all you need to do is tell us where they’re needed. We have more than enough to supply the areas and can augment further from our resource centers,” Gatchalian said during the inter-agency coordination meeting for humanitarian response.
As of press time, the DSWD has already distributed 1,552 boxes of family food packs (FFPs), 606 ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes, and 969 NFIs, amounting to more than PHP3.74 million.
Gatchalian said speed of distribution will be sustained as the DSWD Field Office – Davao Region works round the clock to coordinate with concerned local government units.
The DSWD chief reiterated this during his visit to the Manay District Hospital, one of the facilities heavily damaged by the quake.
Patients and staff were forced to stay in tents that were set up near the hospital.
Together with other Cabinet officials, Gatchalian checked on the condition of the displaced families and individuals and directed the setting up of enclosed family tents to serve as safer and more comfortable temporary shelters.
“Since the structure can no longer be used, instead of open tents, we’re providing enclosed ones so that they’re not exposed to the elements,” he said.
The DSWD’s RTEF boxes will also be sent directly to the hospital to ensure that both patients and medical frontliners have food throughout the calamity.
Beyond immediate relief, Gatchalian said financial assistance will be extended to the injured to cover medical bills and provide burial aid to families who lost their loved ones.
Gatchalian said once the response phase concludes, the DSWD will roll out cash assistance for families with partially or totally damaged homes.
The DSWD’s swift relief delivery to Davao Oriental, alongside other national agencies, reflects the whole-of-government approach under the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure that every family affected by the disaster receives timely and sufficient government assistance. (PR)
