The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to extend relief assistance to communities affected by the combined effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng.

Based on the 6 a.m. Disaster Response Operations Management, Information and Communication (DROMIC) report on Saturday, the DSWD has distributed 1.66 million family food packs (FFPs), 13,864 non-food items (NFIs), 22,993 ready-to-eat food (RTEF) items, and PHP2.76 million in financial aid to affected communities.

To sustain relief operations across affected regions, the DSWD maintains a strategic stockpile of 3.79 million FFPs, 275,983 NFIs, and 315,172 RTEF items prepositioned in warehouses nationwide.

“Patuloy ang DSWD sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga lokal na pamahalaan para matukoy ang mga kinakailangang tulong at agad na maipadala ang mga karagdagang relief supplies (The DSWD continues to coordinate with local governments to identify the help they need and to send additional relief supplies right away),” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group said in a news release.

In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian aid during disasters through the Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) program, the DSWD remains on high alert to support displaced populations.

The total number of affected families stands at 2,128,890, as validated by local government units.

About 11,630 families, or 39,978 persons, are currently staying in 530 open evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, 19,834 displaced families, or 78,990 persons, staying outside evacuation centers continue to receive relief support from the DSWD.

Dumlao said the DSWD is committed to maintaining close monitoring and rapid resource mobilization until all affected families are fully recovered and returned to their homes.

“Sa ilalim ng ating Buong Bansa Handa initiative, kami po sa DSWD ay ready all-year-round upang agad na makapag-abot ng kinakailangang tulong at relief augmentation support sa ating mga kababayan. Patuloy din tayong nagmomonitor at naghahanda para sa bagyo na maaaring pumasok at makaapekto sa ating bansa (Under the BBH initiative, we at DSWD are ready all-year-round to distribute needed assistance and augmentation support to our countrymen. We also continue to monitor and prepare for storms that may enter and affect the country),” she said. (PNA)