DSWD tells regional directors to speed up release of food packs

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday told regional directors to speed up the disbursement of relief packs in areas affected by recent typhoons and Habagat. 

According to Gatchalian, the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) has been releasing thousands of boxes of family food packs (FFPs) in the last two days.

“I hope all the RDs are allocating these and releasing them as fast as NROC. And we hope that the stakeholders get them fast. The goods should not sleep in our warehouses,” he said.

The regional directors said they would distribute the relief goods in accordance with the delivery plan designed by the DSWD Disaster Response and Management Group.

Latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed the death toll from the combined effects of the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat and Typhoon Egay climbed to 27 as of August 2.

More than 2.8 million people, or 765,000 families were affected by the persistent rain and flooding in 4,646 barangays nationwide. Of them, 289,713 individuals were displaced and were transferred to 677 evacuation centers.

A state of calamity was declared in around 154 areas in the country due to the effects of Egay and the Habagat. These cities and municipalities are located in the Ilocos Region, the Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

According to the NDRRMC, 595 areas were still flooded as of Wednesday.

At least P187.4 million worth of assistance has already been provided to the affected regions. —Sundy Locus/ VAL, GMA Integrated News