At least 3,000 family food packs and 100 social protection kits can now be rapidly distributed to local government units (LGUs) in Camarines Norte after the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) signed a memorandum of agreement and a relief prepositioning agreement (RPA) with the town of Daet, capital of the province.

In an interview Friday, Claudio Villareal, chief of DSWD-5’s Disaster Response and Management Division, said the agreement establishes a partnership between the DSWD and the LGU to strengthen disaster response by prepositioning relief supplies in Daet ahead of disasters.

Under the agreement, signed on July 1 as part of the National Disaster Resilience Month kick-off, DSWD will stock family food packs (FFPs) and non-food items in a warehouse designated by the LGU.

“The Daet LGU will provide and maintain a secure storage facility. It will also safeguard, monitor, and properly manage the stockpile, including inventory control and the implementation of the first-in, first-out system,” Villareal said.

He added that during disasters, prepositioned supplies can be released immediately to affected communities in accordance with DSWD disaster response protocols and coordination mechanisms.

“The partnership aims to shorten deployment time and improve logistical efficiency during emergencies,” he said.

Daet was selected for its strategic location in Camarines Norte, a province frequently affected by typhoons and other natural hazards.

“Storing relief supplies in Daet allows DSWD to position resources closer to disaster-prone communities, reduce transport delays from regional warehouses, and maintain faster access to northern Bicol and nearby municipalities when roads or weather conditions limit movement,” he explained.

The initiative is part of DSWD’s strategy to place relief resources closer to vulnerable areas rather than relying solely on centralized warehouses.

Aside from Daet, the provincial social welfare and development offices of Camarines Norte, Catanduanes and Camarines Sur, along with 65 other municipalities across the Bicol Region, are also covered by similar relief prepositioning efforts. (PNA)