The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region (DSWD-NIR) will establish a warehouse for the prepositioning of food and non-food items in the sixth district of Negros Occidental.

In a report on Tuesday, the Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD) said the team led by officer-in-charge Chief Beverly Salazar inspected the proposed warehouse in the municipality of Candoni on Monday.

They also paid courtesy visits to the cities of Kabankalan, Himamaylan and La Carlota, which are among the local government units (LGUs) hit by floods in central and southern Negros due to monsoon rains last week.

“DSWD-NIR remains steadfast in enhancing local disaster response capacity and ensuring immediate assistance reaches affected families,” the DRMD said.

Meanwhile, the distribution of family food packs continued in southern Negros on Tuesday for affected residents in Valladolid, San Enrique, Ilog, Pontevedra, Isabela, and Binalbagan.

Data from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)-NIR showed 44,378 families or 166,335 persons in Negros Occidental were affected by the continuous rains and floods.

At least 1,287 families or 4,802 persons who stayed in 40 evacuation centers were provided relief assistance, while 9,111 families or 44,680 persons staying outside evacuation centers were also assisted.

Mostly affected are the LGUs located in the fifth district, including Hinigaran, Binalbagan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, and Himamaylan City; as well as in the sixth district’s Ilog, Cauayan, Candoni, Hinoba-an, Kabankalan City and Sipalay City.

Assistance provided by the DSWD and the LGUs to affected residents has amounted to PHP13.26 million as of Tuesday, the RDRRMC-NIR reported. (PNA)