The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is on high alert as the low pressure area (LPA) being monitored outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) has a “high chance” of becoming a tropical depression within the next 24 hours.

Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the DSWD is ready for any weather disturbance as the department prepares family food packs (FFPs) and non-food items (NFIs) all year round.

“Gaya ng lagi naming binabanggit, ang disaster preparation po sa DSWD ay 365 days a year. Hindi na natin aantayin na pumasok pa ang LPA o maging bagyo na ito bago tayo maghanda ng mga FFPs at iba pang relief items. Tayo po ay nakahanda na (The disaster preparation of the DSWD is 365 days a year. We don’t wait for the LPA to enter or become a typhoon before we prepare relief items. We are already prepared),” Dumlao said in a news release Tuesday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the LPA is located 1,110 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao and is “forecast to enter PAR today.”

Dumlao said the DSWD has sufficient FFPs in its Luzon Disaster Resource Center (LDRC) in Pasay City, Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu, and in regional and provincial warehouses across the country.

“Sa utos po ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at ni Secretary Rex Gatchalian, naka-preposition na ang ating relief supplies hindi lamang sa ating mga major hubs pero pati na rin sa mga spokes and last mile facilities. Ito yung mga regional warehouses natin at warehouses in the LGUs (Under the directives of President Marcos and Secretary Gatchalian, relief supplies are already prepositioned not only in major hubs but also in spokes and last mile facilities. These are the regional warehouses and warehouses in the LGUs), especially in the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs),” she said.

The DSWD spokesperson said all field office regional directors, especially those in the Visayas and Mindanao, where the LPA is expected to traverse, were directed by Gatchalian to prepare all necessary supplies, manpower and equipment.

All Quick Response Teams (QRTs) and Mobile Command Centers – which are equipped with state-of-the-art satellite internet, gadgets and generator sets – are on standby and ready for deployment for the impact of the anticipated weather disturbance. (PNA)