By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Following the onset of Mount Bulusan’s volcanic eruption which began on April 28 (Monday), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) went to work as the agency’s officials flew to Sorsogon on April 29 (Tuesday).
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian personally visited the town of Juban’s evacuation center to personally assess the situation and provide assurance to the families and individuals displaced by the heavy ashfall from Bulusan Volcano.
“The standing instruction of the President is to make sure that in all disasters, the DSWD is the first on the ground and the last to leave,” Gatchalian said.
As of press time, the DSWD has already delivered 20,000 family food packs (FFPs) requested by the provincial government of Sorsogon, as well as non-food items such as modular tents, hygiene kits, and water filtration kits.
Likewise, the agency has also mobilized its Mobile Kitchen and worked with concerned local government units (LGUs) in Sorsogon for the provisions of hot meals and food packs, which will be distributed to affected residents.
“So, ngayon bilang tugon sa utos ng ating Pangulo, dineploy natin ang bagong-bagong mobile kitchen ng DSWD. Para mag-substitute, minsan family food packs, minsan naman fresh meal. Ngayon, ang magse-serving, ang nagluluto ’yong local government, fried chicken,” Gatchalian said.
So iba rin talaga ’yong fresh ’yong pagkaing niluluto. Ito ay ang utos ng ating Pangulo, dapat ang disaster response ay angkop sa pangangailangan,” the DSWD chief added.
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