LGUs having difficulty delivering food aid to victims of Kristine — DSWD

Some local government units (LGUs) are having difficulty distributing food assistance to families affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said Thursday.

Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said that LGUs have retrieved only 50,000 family food packs out of the 170,000 packs stored in various warehouses in the Bicol Region.

“Actually, marami silang request pero nagaantay kami na kunin nila at pick-up-in nila (they have a lot of request and we're waiting for them to pick these up),” Gatchalian said in an interview on Unang Balita.

“Katulad kahapon, kausap ko si Governor, acting governor ng Albay, si Vice Governor Glenda. Sabi nga niya, onti-onti nang bumababa ‘yung tubig sa Albay pero kailangan nila ng kaunting panahon bago nila makuha ‘yung mga goods sa aming mga warehouse,” he added.

(Similar to yesterday, I spoke to the acting governor of Albay, Vice Governor Glenda. According to her, the water level in Albay is gradually subsiding, but they need a little more time to access the goods stored in our warehouses.)

In Camarines Sur, Gatchalian said authorities are slowly retrieving the food packs, but that their focus is on rescuing residents affected by the storm.

Signal No. 3 was raised over 16 areas in Luzon as Kristine moved to the Cordillera Administrative Region on Thursday morning.

Authorities have recorded 20 fatalities in the BIcol Region.

According to Gatchalian, an additional 50,000 food packs are on the way to the Bicol Region.

“Patuloy kaming nakikipagugnayan sa mga LGUs na kunin na ‘yung mga goods. Ang instruction ng Pangulo naman sa akin kahapon siguraduhin na hindi kami maubusan doon. So habang nag di-distribute tayo ngayon sa mga LGUs, meron na tayong mga goods na papunta ulit ng Bicol,” he said.

(We are continuously coordinating with LGUs to obtain the goods. I was instructed by the President yesterday to ensure that we don't run out. So while we're distributing the goods to LGUs right now, we already have some on their way.)

Gatchalian, meanwhile, said that LGUs are responsible for delivering food packs to families and not the DSWD.

“Ang DSWD, ang role namin is suportahan ang ating mga LGUs kung sakaling kulangin sila ng mga goods. So tayo, nasa warehouse natin ‘yung mga good bago pa tumaman… ‘yung epekto ni Bagyong Kristine,” he said.

The DSWD's role is to support our LGUs if they're lacking in goods. The goods were already in our warehouse even before Typhoon Kristine hit.)

Classes were suspended for Thursday in some areas due to Kristine. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA Integrated News