The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) activated its full disaster response posture Wednesday after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit Sarangani, Davao Occidental at 12:31 p.m.
PHIVOLCS identified the tremor as an aftershock of the major magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the region on June 8.
Following the offshore quake, DSWD Field Office 11 kept its operations open and established direct coordination with local government units across the Davao Region to manage potential relief requests.
Assistant Regional Director for Administration Jackiya Lao confirmed the regional office remains on active standby to support hit municipalities.
Meanwhile, DSWD Disaster Response Management Group Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao confirmed that family food packs and non-food supplies are pre-positioned in regional hubs for swift distribution.
“Handang-handa narin po ito ay maihahatid kaagad sa affected communities. At wala po tayong ipag-alala sa supplies dahil mabilis po tayong makapag-replenish ano po,” Dumlao said on Wednesday.
The agency activated Quick Response Teams (QRTs) across its central and regional offices to assist in monitoring evacuation sites and issuing Family Access Card in Emergencies and Disasters (FACED) forms, a standardized tool used to profile affected households and assess shelter damage.
“The Quick Response Teams (QRTs) from the Central Office (CO) and Field Offices (FOs) stand ready for immediate deployment to Sarangani and surrounding communities. Kailangan alerto po tayo dahil hindi ito biro, almost two months palang po mula noong niyanig ng lindol ang Sarangani, at ito na naman po,” Dumlao said.
DSWD also readied its Mobile Command Centers and Mobile Kitchens for rapid field deployment.
“Kami po sa DSWD ay patuloy na nagmo-monitor po at nakikipag ugnayan sa mga lokal na pamahalaan para agad kaming maka-respond sa requests ng local authorities,” Dumlao said.
Emergency stockpiles remain staged nationwide under the government’s Buong Bansa Handa supply-chain framework, following standing directives from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.