The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has PHP147.201 million in food and non-food items available as of Saturday, as stated in its progress reports on the moderate eruption of Kanlaon Volcano and the thunderstorms and southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Inday the past week.

On Friday, DSWD delivered 120,000 family food packs (FFPs) to the regional warehouse at Bredco Port here to boost its disaster response capability for Negros Island Region (NIR).

The food stocks are part of the agency’s prepositioned relief resources to ensure the immediate availability of food assistance for families affected by disasters and emergencies.

“It is the first batch of FFPs from the local Visayas Disaster Resource Center. The replenishment of food stocks comes at a critical time as the NIR continues to monitor and respond to the effects of the ongoing unrest of Kanlaon Volcano and the impacts of Typhoon Inday,” the DSWD-NIR said in a news release Friday.

“The warehouse inventory will also support rapid deployment of relief supplies to local government units whenever the need arises.”

In Negros Occidental, some areas in the central part of the province, such as Isabela town and La Carlota City, evacuated hundreds of residents on Friday due to the effects of Inday.

Based on the initial report of Isabela municipal government Saturday morning, 499 individuals or 171 families sought shelter in three evacuation centers.

On Saturday afternoon, La Carlota City reported that 133 residents or 40 families have returned home, based on the update of the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

To ensure a coordinated and timely disaster response, the DSWD-NIR said its personnel maintains constant communication with city and municipal social welfare and development offices, local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and other concerned agencies. (PNA)