The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) on Tuesday said it has started to preposition family food packs in various warehouses across the region as part of a contingency plan for the wet season.
In an interview, Claudio Villareal, chief of the DSWD-5’s Disaster Response Management Division, said they have increased the amount of the FFPs they are preparing this year.
“Our previous stockpile was around 50,000 family food packs (FFPs); now it ranges from 150,000 to 200,000. We are also looking for additional warehouses to rent or to form agreements for standby stockpiles to further increase our capacity in the region,” he said.
Villareal said they are already assessing their local logistics capabilities involving available storage facilities, FFPs, and resource readiness, to enhance the efficiency of future relief operations in disaster-prone areas.
“This is part of our preventive measures. It can be difficult to access island municipalities during a disaster so we are strategically placing family food packs in different areas in Bicol. This way, if they are affected by a disaster, it won’t be challenging to assist,” he said.
Recently, the DSWD-5 introduced its cash-for-work (CFW) program to fisherfolk from the 4th District of Camarines Sur who were affected by severe tropical storm Pepito.
Villareal said 28,000 partner-beneficiaries identified through an impact assessment will be covered by the CFW, which will be held throughout the province for four days.
“Each beneficiary will receive PHP415 per day, and they will be engaged in various rehabilitation and preparedness activities aimed at community development,” he said.
“We are currently in the preparation stage, and the CFW will begin next week. Payouts are expected in the third week of June. The main goal of this project is to support their recovery efforts.”
Villareal also said the agency’s emergency cash transfer program is still ongoing for households that suffered total and partial damage from Pepito.
Villareal said that during the orientation, discussions focused on the purpose of the CFW program and the various activities in which beneficiaries will participate.
Beneficiaries were reminded to prepare and comply with the necessary documentation required by the agency staff.
“With the help of the CFW program, recipients will be able to support themselves while making a significant contribution to community rehabilitation. An extensive outline of the expected activities was provided during the session to ensure alignment with program objectives and community needs,” he added.
For his part, DSWD Regional Director Norman Laurio cited the importance of fostering partnerships with local government units to deliver effective and compassionate social services to communities vulnerable to disaster effects. (PNA)
