By Brian Campued
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has deployed mobile kitchens in four northern Cebu areas hardest hit by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake to provide hot meals to displaced families for the whole month of October.
According to the DSWD, its mobile kitchen can be found in Medellin, San Remigio, Daanbantayan, and Bogo City.
Residents can get breakfast from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The agency has also completed its first wave of family food packs (FFP) distribution in all affected local government units (LGUs) in Cebu. A second wave of distribution is also underway as well as plans for emergency cash transfer distribution to affected residents.
According to Sec. Rex Gatchalian, around 225,000 FFPs were distributed in just three to four days after the calamity—one of the fastest deployments of relief in DSWD history.
“Nagkasundo kami ngayon with Cebu Province at mga LGUs na, para mas matulungan pa ang ating mga kababayan, alinsunod na rin sa utos ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., ay magkakaroon tayo ng second wave ng distribution ng [FFPs],” Gatchalian said.
“Magdadagdag tayo ng another 225,000 [FFPs}, at ang goal natin ay maipamahagi ito ngayong linggo, dahil meron pa tayong standby goods sa lahat ng ating repacking centers, both here in Visayas and in Luzon,” he added.
Aside from the installation of temporary shelters for the Tent City in quake-hit areas, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said repair works on the emergency and operating rooms of the Bogo City Provincial Hospital are underway as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Secretary. Vince Dizon.
Patients were previously brought back to the hospital after the DPWH cleared two of the hospital’s buildings.
Meanwhile, a total of 649,542 boxes of FFPs were already distributed to the regions affected by recent tropical cyclones and the southwest monsoon as of 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. These regions include the National Capital Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Negros Island, Eastern Visayas, SOCCSKSARGEN, Caraga, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
In Typhoon Opong-hit Masbate, Dizon ordered DPWH personnel to help clear school grounds of debris from fallen trees before the resumption of onsite classes in the province on Monday, Oct. 13.
-jpv
