The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided more than P771 million worth of humanitarian assistance to families affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit parts of Southern Mindanao.
“Bagamat may parating na bagyo, patuloy pa rin ang pamamahagi ng tulong ng DSWD sa mga naapektuhan ng lindol sa Mindanao. Umabot na po sa higit Php771 milyon ang tulong na naipaabot ng DSWD, kabilang dito ang food at non-food items, psychosocial aid, at cash assistance,” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said on Wednesday, July 1.
Dumlao, who also serves as DSWD spokesperson, said the assistance includes 676,987 boxes of family food packs (FFPs), 17,545 non-food items (NFIs), and 13,595 ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes distributed in Region 9 or Zamboanga Peninsula, Region 11 or Davao Region, Region 12 or SOCCSKSARGEN, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“Habang patuloy ang pamamahagi ng tulong sa mga internally displaced persons (IDPs), patuloy rin ang replenishment ng relief supplies sa mga lugar na labis na naapektuhan ng lindol kabilang na sa Sarangani, Balut Island, at General Santos City,” the DSWD spokesperson noted.
On June 30, the DSWD Field Office 11 distributed sleeping kits and kitchen kits donated by the People’s Republic of China to affected families in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental.
In SOCCSKSARGEN, DSWD Field Office 12 also facilitated the distribution of kitchen kits, sleeping kits, and solar lights donated by the Chinese government to families in Pangyan and Burias in Glan, Sarangani. Family tents and solar lights were also provided to internally displaced persons in Malapatan, Sarangani.
With the help of the Philippine Navy vessel BRP AGTA (LC-882), some 4,900 FFPs and 1,092 sleeping kits donated by the Republic of China (Taiwan) are expected to arrive in Balut Island within the day.
As part of efforts to support the early recovery of affected residents, the DSWD said its field offices are also providing Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) assistance.
“Alinsunod sa utos ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., ang DSWD ay patuloy na magbabahagi ng tulong hanggang sa maka-recover at makabalik sa dati nilang pamumuhay ang mga kababayan nating naapektuhan ng malakas na lindol sa Mindanao,” Dumlao said.