The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Central Office, through the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau and the Regional Resource Operations Section under the Disaster Response Management Division of DSWD Field Office 1, has successfully conducted a Logistics Capacity Assessment (LCA) across 19 Regional and Satellite Warehouses in the Region.

The LCA technical assistance aims to improve the target capacities and knowledge of DSWD Field Offices and Local Government Units by gathering and assessing the challenges and needs of the key personnel involved in disaster preparedness and response.

One of the challenges noted by the Field Office is the crucial reconditioning and sanitation of relief goods to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the assistance provided to disaster-affected communities. 

To guarantee the integrity of relief goods and uphold the dignity of disaster-affected families, the sanitation process of DSWD relief goods in Region 1 has been enhanced, thus preventing any contamination of Food and Non-Food Items (FNFIs).

It is one of the good practices sighted during the assessment. With the help of the DSWD Field Office 1 Community Volunteers, the previous method was improved to eliminate contaminants and pathogens that could pose health risks to recipients.

After the registration, physical checkup, and orientation with the community volunteers, the sanitization process starts with the following steps: sorting and inspection of FNFIs to check for any damage or contaminated items; sanitation using solution on the surface of the FNFIs especially for the items directly consumed by the recipients; labeling and packaging with the date of expiration for easy tracking and monitoring; wrapping of stretch film; and keeping in the storage area.

With these efforts, DSWD Field Office 1 has no concerns about the quality of goods received by the beneficiaries. Achieving the goal of government trust and guaranteeing that relief goods provided to disaster-affected families are safe, quality maintained, and will contribute effectively to recovery and assistance efforts during times of crisis.

This effort exemplifies the Field Office’s dedication to addressing both immediate and long-term needs in disaster-prone areas, while also ensuring the dignity of the relief goods received by those affected by disasters. By: Nicole Kasandra A. Lipawen, Information Officer II – Disaster Response Management Division