Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured the public that the agency is fully prepared to provide immediate assistance to families that may be affected by the potential super typhoon, which will be named “Uwan” once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
“Posibleng tumama sa hilagang Luzon ang binabantayang Tropical Depression (Bagyong Uwan) na inaasahang papasok sa PAR ngayong Sabado. Bilang paghahanda, nagsagawa ang DSWD Field Office 1 – Ilocos Region, katuwang ang mga community volunteers, ng quality inspection sa mga family food packs (FFPs) upang matiyak na maayos ang bawat kahon bago ipamahagi,” Secretary Gatchalian said in his Facebook post on Thursday (November 6).
In the weekly Thursday Media Forum, Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the Department has over 2 million FFPs prepositioned in various warehouses nationwide and ready for rapid deployment once typhoon Uwan makes landfall.
“Bilang paghahanda sa paparating naman na bagyong Uwan, mayroon pang mahigit 2 million family food packs ang DSWD. Naka-preposition yan sa iba’t ibang warehouses,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, told reporters.
Among the priority areas for DSWD’s disaster readiness are Aurora province and Regions 1 (Ilocos Region), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon)—the areas expected to bear the effects of Typhoon Uwan based on current forecasts by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
“Dahil nga nakikita natin na isa ang Aurora sa maaaring maapektuhan, kung hindi magbago yung long-range forecast, mayroon po tayong mga 40,000 FFPs na naka-preposition. In Region 3, mahigit 200,000 FFPs po iyan na naka-preposition,” the DSWD spokesperson said.
The DRMG official added: “Mayroon din tayo, of course, in Region 2 and in Region 1. Handa po ang DSWD na tumugon sa pangangailangan ng mga kababayan natin na maaapektuhan nitong paparating na bagyo.”
Asst. Secretary Dumlao emphasized that the DSWD’s Field Offices are closely coordinating with their respective local government units (LGUs) and are currently monitoring high-risk communities and ensuring that prepositioned goods can be quickly mobilized to the would-be affected areas.
“Kami sa DSWD, we are ready. As I have mentioned, we have prepositioned goods in these regions and talagang mino-monitor natin ito pong mga lugar na ito, nang sa gayon ay matukoy natin kung ano yung posibleng kakailanganin,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
Echoing the guidance of Secretary Gatchalian, Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out that the DSWD’s disaster response teams are always among the first to arrive and the last to leave the disaster-stricken areas.
“Kakayanin ng DSWD — yan ang laging sinasabi ng aming butihing Secretary, Secretary Rex Gatchalian. Kami po ang nauuna sa lugar pag may bagyo dahil nakapag-preposition na kami ng mga food and non-food items, at kami po ang huling aalis doon sa mga lugar na na-devastate ng mga bagyo sapagkat we wanted to make sure that we support the recovery o yung pagbangon ng mga disaster-affected families,” the DSWD spokesperson said.
To sustain its disaster response operations, Asst. Secretary Dumlao said the DSWD is currently coordinating with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the replenishment of its quick response funds (QRF).
“Gaya ng nabanggit ko, mayroon tayong sapat na resources in terms of standby funds and stockpiles, and we are in the process of requesting for additional funds from the Department of Budget and Management to replenish our quick response funds to enable the Department to sustain our ongoing disaster response operations,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao explained to reporters.
As the nation braces for the impact of Super Typhoon Uwan, the DSWD reassured the public that it remains committed to protecting the welfare of affected families — from the onset of the disaster until full recovery of the affected communities. (YADP)
