SEVERE Tropical Storm Kristine has affected more than 2.1 million Filipinos, which is over 488,000 families across the country and the majority of those affected are from the Bicol region, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
According to the agency’s briefing on Thursday, 174,226 people were in evacuation shelters around the country. The DSWD has delivered nearly two million family food kits.
As reported by DSWD Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, the food packs were prepared before Kristine struck the country.
Severe flooding has prevented access to some regions, including villages in Naga City.
“Mobility is a challenge in logistics,” said DSWD Special Assistant to the Secretary Leo Quintilla.
“We are closely coordinating with cluster to identify areas if we need to divert and reroute to ensure to reach the areas who needed help”, she added.
Quintilla noted that their Department’s purpose is to support local government units (LGUs). Once the humanitarian products have been provided, LGUs can request further supplies from DSWD.
Dumlao and Quintilla guaranteed that additional relief supplies were on their way to their regional offices. They have over 1.9 million family meal packs in stock and over P204 million in reserve funds.
“We have a good partnership with the Department of Budget and Management of there’s a need of request of replenishment of quick response fund, it can easily be facilitated,” Dumlao told reporters.
The agency would also deliver 100 filtration kits to Bicol within the day to assist evacuees in filtering water free of salmonella, cholera, and other bacteria.
As of 11 a.m., Dumlao stated that there had been no reports of evacuees in the National Capital Region.
The department is looking for volunteers to help repack products at their warehouse in Pasay City.
Those who wish to give to victims of the severe tropical storm are asked to cooperate with the DSWD or LGUs to make the process more efficient.
Aside from food boxes, DSWD offers psychosocial interventions to affected residents and alternate learning opportunities for children.
It will soon provide ready-to-eat food, which is now under procurement.