MANILA –The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepared for the effects of tropical storm “Caloy” as it entered the Philippine area of responsibility Tuesday morning.
“We have advised our regional offices in Mindanao to be ready for the activation and deployment of their Quick Response Teams (QRTs) if the weather disturbance intensifies,” DSWD Officer-in-Charge Emmanuel Leyco said in a statement.
Apart from its preparations, the DSWD is also on alert for any event that may require immediate assistance during the nationwide observance of the Holy Week or ‘Semana Santa.’
“Since many of our kababayans will return to their respective provinces to bond with their families and reflect during the Holy Week, we assure the public that the DSWD is ready to provide assistance especially to travelers who may get stranded due to unforeseen events,” Leyco said.
The DSWD maintains a total of P307,215,850 standby funds and 370,567 Family Food Packs in strategic areas around the country in time for the week-long observance.
As part of the agency’s preparedness measures, the DSWD Disaster Response Management Bureau will continue to monitor weather conditions and maintain its coordination with regional counterparts, while the National Response and Logistics Management Service will proceed with its operations.
Leyco also reminded the public to be safe during the observance of the Holy Week.
“We remind the public to always prioritize the safety of their families and homes before they travel to other places during the Holy Week. Among the measures they can implement are double locking their houses, ensuring that their appliances are unplugged, and immediately reporting suspicious activities and packages they see to the authorities,” he said. (DSWD-PR/PNA)
