The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1 (DSWD FO 1) has extended assistance to 52,214 affected families by the recent Super Typhoon Carina and Habagat in the region, totaling PhP51,973,818.19.

This assistance, which includes family food packs and non-food items, is part of the DSWD’s continued efforts to help communities recover from disasters. This is part of the Department’s commitment as the lead agency of the Food and Non-Food Item (FNFI) Cluster in the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and  Management Council 1 (RDRRMC 1). 

The local government units (LGUs) are responsible for the initial response and must use their Quick Response Fund (QRF) to address immediate needs of their disaster-affected constituents. While DSWD ensures its readiness to assist the LGU as needed, the LGU will request additional support from the national government agencies like DSWD only when their QRF is depleted, that is according to the DSWD Memorandum Circular No. 24, series of 2024.

This approach ensures that local resources are maximized before seeking further assistance, reflecting a coordinated and effective disaster response strategy. 

As of the latest report, Super Typhoon Carina has affected 118,689 families with 419,638 individuals affected across the region. DSWD FO 1 continues to fulfill outstanding assistance from the LGUs.

This effort demonstrates DSWD FO 1’s dedication, supported by volunteers and RDRRMC 1 member-agencies, in delivering essential aid during emergencies — a success of teamwork and collaborative disaster response. By: Nicole Kasandra A. Lipawen, Information Officer II – Disaster Response Management Division