By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
On the heels of Tropical Storm Ramil’s passage over the Bicol Peninsula after making landfall in Sorsogon on Oct. 18, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) mobilized its resources to provide immediate relief to affected families in Bicol and Western Visayas.
The agency led the distribution of 10,000 boxes of family food packs (FFPs) to residents displaced by floods in the barangays of Baybay and Loctugan, as well as ready to eat food (RTEF) boxes to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) staying at Banica Elementary School in Roxas City, Capiz.
The distribution was personally led by OIC-Regional Director Joselito Estember, along with Assistant Regional Director for Operations Katherine Joy Lamprea and OIC-Assistant Regional Director for Administration Ryan Dela Gente.
The operation was carried out in close coordination with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Roxas City, through the Provincial and City Quick Response Teams (QRTs).
Director Estember said, “These food packs are meant to provide immediate relief to families. Each Family Food Pack contains six kilos of rice, canned goods, cereal drink and coffee. The RTEF boxes, on the other hand, contain pre-packed meals that are ready to eat and do not require preparation.”
The team also visited several evacuation centers in the area to personally check on displaced families and identify additional needs on the ground.
Boxes of FFPs were also distributed by the DSWD Field Office 6 (Western Visayas) to affected residents in the towns of Batad and Estancia in Iloilo.
The DSWD Field Office 5, moreover, also led the distribution of FFPs and RTEF boxes to affected families in the towns of Camalig and Pio Duran in Albay.
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