Posted on by Darwin Chan

30 October 2018 – Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1 (DSWD FO 1) is on full alert due to Typhoon Rosita’s landfall at 5:00 o’clock in the morning.

Volunteers from the City of San Fernando, La Union have already arrived to assist the Field Office in repacking and transporting food and non-food items to local government units (LGUs) that need relief supply augmentation.

Volunteers from the City of San Fernando, La Union assist the DSWD staff in hauling the relief supplies.

Sa mga katulad ko na walang trabaho, maaari po kayong pumunta sa DSWD para mag-volunteer at makatulong sa mga biktima ng bagyo (To those individuals who do not have work like me, you may go to DSWD to be a volunteer to help the typhoon victims),” shared 26-year-old Arnel Padua, a volunteer coordinator from Brgy. Bato, City of San Fernando, La Union. As of 30 October 2018, the regional and satellite warehouses of the Field Office have 10,574 family food packs, 4,100 family kits, 10,245 hygiene kits, 6,117 sleeping kits, 4,000 kitchen kits, 220 family tents, and 2,004 collapsible jugs with water purifier ready for distribution.

On 29 October 2018, the Department headed the Response Cluster Meeting wherein Regional Line Agencies presented disaster preparedness plans. To reinforce the agreements of yesterday’s meeting, the Field Office conducted Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) Meeting today to determine the potential hazards, affected areas, potential impacts, safe areas for evacuation, and the appropriate actions to be undertaken during and after the onslaught of Typhoon Rosita. Assistant Regional Director for Operations (ARDO) Marlene Febes D. Peralta sought the cooperation of all employees to immediately respond to the needs of the typhoon victims. ARDO Peralta also emphasized that LGUs should ensure sufficient relief supplies to guarantee the general welfare of their constituents. The Department only augments relief supplies to LGUs once their stockpiles are already depleted.

The Field Office has already activated its Quick Response Team (QRT) since yesterday to proactively perform disaster-related activities. Further, Provincial and City/Municipal Operations Offices throughout the Region are currently assisting LGUs to ensure zero casualty.

DSWD FO 1 has an existing quick response fund amounting to PhP4,879,581.40 ready for disaster operations use. (by: Darwin T. Chan, Social Marketing Unit)