By Zaldy De Layola | Philippine News Agency
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Friday activated the quick response teams (QRT) of concerned field offices along the path of Tropical Depression Ramil for possible relief operations.
In a statement, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) also assured that the agency has enough relief supplies prepositioned in strategic areas for prompt delivery to communities that may be affected by the weather disturbance.
“Agad pong inatasan ni Secretary Rex Gatchalian, alinsunod sa utos ni President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., ang ating mga Field Offices na makipag-ugnayan sa mga lokal na pamahalaan para matiyak sa mga alkalde na handa ang mga family food packs (FFPs) at iba pang emergency relief items ng DSWD para sa mga maaapektuhan ng Bagyong Ramil,” Dumlao said.
She said the DSWD has heightened its readiness measures to guarantee the immediate deployment of food and non-food items once the need arises.
“Ang layunin po natin ay hindi maantala ang tulong sa oras na maramdaman ang epekto ng bagyo,” she said.
Dumlao said the DSWD has prepositioned enough FFPs in its hubs, spokes, and last-mile facilities.
It also maintains available stockpiles of non-food relief items, such as sleeping kits, hygiene kits, and kitchen kits, to support families who might be placed in evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, Dumlao said the DSWD is also ready to assist families and individuals who may have been affected by the magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck Surigao del Norte and neighboring areas on Friday morning.
“Sa bawat kalamidad, nananatiling layunin ng DSWD na agad makarating ang tulong sa mga pamilyang Pilipino. Kaya’t patuloy po tayong nakikipagtulungan sa mga LGU at iba pang ahensya ng pamahalaan upang mapanatili ang mabilis at maayos na disaster response,” she said.
