ILOILO City – With the threat of El Niño raising concerns over its potential impact on vulnerable communities, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Western Visayas has mobilized P188.76 million worth of relief resources and strategically positioned emergency food supplies across the region to ensure swift assistance to affected families.
DSWD Region 6 said its disaster preparedness measures include the prepositioning of 173,727 family food packs (FFPs) in 77 strategic locations across Western Visayas, allowing authorities to respond more quickly to communities that may require emergency assistance.
As of October 12, the agency had P188,763,677.31 in available relief resources, according to its Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD).
Of the total, P3 million represents standby funds, while P185,763,677.31 consists of food and non-food relief supplies ready for deployment during emergencies.
The agency’s regional stockpile includes 209,628 family food packs, 17,644 ready-to-eat food (RTEF) packs and 13,767 non-food items.
The non-food supplies comprise 2,826 family kits, 1,655 sleeping kits, 2,762 hygiene kits, 4,471 kitchen kits and 2,053 other essential items intended to support families affected by disasters.
ILOILO GETS LARGEST SHARE OF RELIEF SITES
Iloilo Province accounts for the largest number of prepositioning sites in Western Visayas, with 33 locations designated for the storage and distribution of emergency food supplies.
Capiz follows with 15 sites, Antique with 13, Aklan with 10, Guimaras with five and Iloilo City with one.
The distribution network is intended to bring emergency supplies closer to communities and minimize delays in delivering government assistance when disasters strike.
Aside from the food packs positioned across the region, DSWD-6 has prepositioned 2,376 ready-to-eat food packs at seven strategic ports to facilitate emergency relief operations.
These include Estancia Port and Dumangas Port in Iloilo Province; San Pedro Port and the Fast Craft Terminal in Iloilo City; Caticlan Port in Aklan; and San Jose Port and Culasi-Lipata Port in Antique.
The deployment of emergency food supplies at these transport hubs is designed to support the movement and distribution of relief assistance, particularly when affected communities require immediate government intervention.
RELIEF READINESS UNDER CLOSE WATCH
The DSWD-6, through its Disaster Response Management Division, continues to monitor its regional stockpile and prepositioning facilities to ensure that emergency resources remain available and ready for deployment.
The agency maintained that its existing relief inventory and distribution arrangements would help strengthen the government’s capacity to respond to the possible effects of El Niño and other emergencies.
The preparedness measures are also in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to bring government services and assistance closer to communities, particularly during disasters and other emergencies.
With relief supplies already distributed among strategic locations, DSWD-6 aims to ensure that affected families can receive timely assistance without having to wait for emergency stocks to be transported from distant storage facilities.
The agency’s preparedness efforts underscore the importance of advance stockpiling and accessible distribution networks in minimizing delays in disaster response across Western Visayas./PN
