QUEZON CITY -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is now preparing for the possible effects of the trough of low pressure area (LPA) that may bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in Bicol Region, and areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.

On Wednesday, the Department held a coordination meeting attended by Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), Atty. Marco M. Bautista; Undersecretary for Special Concerns, Vilma B. Cabrera; Undersecretary for Social Welfare and Development, Sally P. Navarro; Assistant Secretary for DRMG, Dr. Diana Rose S. Cajipe; DSWD Regional Directors; and Disaster focal persons of concerned Field Offices (FOs).

Based on the February 14 report of the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC), the Department has more than P2.2 billion worth of standby funds and stockpiles ready to be tapped by local government units (LGUs) for their disaster response operations. The given amount includes more than P823 million standby funds in the Central Office and DSWD FOs; 643,947 family food packs (FFPs) amounting to more than P439 million; and other food and non-food items (FNIs) amounting to more than P972 million strategically prepositioned around the country.

As a directive of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, all DSWD FOs must coordinate with Local Chief Executives (LCEs) as part of the preparedness for response protocol of the Department to ensure that concerned LGUs will be ready to respond to needs of their constituents.

The Department is also continuously holding repacking operations and prepositioning of goods to ensure that adequate relief items will be immediately distributed to the disaster-affected population.

Lastly, the DSWD reminded locals to heed to the instructions of their respective LCEs to prevent any untoward incidents due to the weather disturbance. (DSWD)