DSWD-6 readies aid for families affected by ‘Paeng’

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

Anticipating the effect of Tropical Storm Paeng, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Region 6 has started providing assistance to families affected by the typhoon.

“We have sufficient family food packs as well as non-food items to respond to the affected families,” Atty. Carmelo N. Nochete, DSWD-6 regional director, said during Friday’s meeting of all Field Offices with the national management.

Records indicated that the agency has provided P279,007 worth of assistance to families affected by typhoon Paeng as Capiz and Aklan Provinces experienced flooding on Thursday, October 27.

The amount is the equivalent of 537 family food packs which were immediately provided to affected families.

Meanwhile, Judith Tanate, chief of Disaster Response Management Division, said that requests for augmentation have also been submitted by Kalibo, Dao, Passi City and Culasi.

The agency has an available 51,581 Family Food Packs at the Regional warehouse, Negros Occidental warehouse and 28 prepositioning sites in the region.

DSWD-6 also reported that their stand-by non-food items amounted to 29.36 million.

These include 2,765 hygiene kits; 2.725 sleeping kits; 1,161 family kits; 377 kitchens kits; 400 laminated sacks; 1,964 tents; 480 blankets; 85 bed sheets; 100 malongs; 400 foldable water jugs; 390 collapsible water containers; and 3,660 other NFIs (clothing packs, toys, etc).

The agency also has a P5 million stand-by fund.

Nochete has already issued a memorandum on Thursday declaring a Red Alert Status for all the staff.

The memorandum declaring the red alert status instructed the regional, provincial, city and municipal Quick Response Team members to be on standby and be ready for relief operations, and provision of technical assistance to Local Government Units along camp management and protection of displaced families and individuals.

Nochete also instructed that all personnel on leave are recalled effective immediately to respond to the situation because of the typhoon.