PNA
MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is calling for volunteers to help produce family food packs (FFPs) for the relief efforts for families affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island.
Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said Wednesday that more manpower is needed at the National Resource Operations Center (NROC), the agency’s main disaster response hub located at Chapel Road in Barangay 195, Pasay City.
“We are calling on our kababayans in the National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby areas to help in the agency’s repacking operations at the NROC. In times of calamities, it is our deep sense of Bayanihan that allows us to stay resilient and ensure swift delivery of aid to communities in need. Now is the perfect time to put our compassion to action,” Dumlao said in a news release.
Interested groups and individuals may coordinate with Ma. Shara Lee at mobile number 0969-179-5117, Kevin Sanchez at 0976-480-3953, and Wea Buranday at 0954-457-6952 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Volunteers are requested to wear comfortable attire and closed-toe shoes and to bring their own bottled water and packed meals.
Following the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on Tuesday morning, Secretary Rex Gatchalian immediately directed concerned DSWD field offices to coordinate with affected local government units (LGUs) and other concerned agencies to monitor the needs of affected families.
“We assured the LGUs that they can request for resource augmentation anytime. In fact, we have strategically prepositioned over 150,000 boxes of FFPs in the Negros Island alone for a more seamless relief operations in the area,” Dumlao said.
Based on the latest report of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Management, Information Communication, 12,761 families, consisting of 48,850 individuals, were affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon.
Of these, 2,608 families, or 8,316 persons, are taking temporary shelter in 22 open evacuation centers, while 3,702 families, or 11,892 persons, are temporarily staying with their friends or relatives.
“There was a slight increase on the recorded number of affected families but we can manage as we have more than 2.6 million boxes of FFPs, as well as non-food items prepositioned in our warehouses nationwide, which we can immediately tap to augment affected LGUs’ resources,” Dumlao said.
The agency has been sending relief supplies since Day 1 of last year’s eruption, ensuring that the needs of the evacuees are always monitored and given immediate interventions as part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s marching order to ensure that no one will go hungry in times of disaster.
Since Mt. Kanlaon’s eruption on Dec. 9, the DSWD has extended more than PHP131 million worth of humanitarian assistance to affected families and individuals. (PNA)
