QUEZON CITY -- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin t. Tulfo assured the public that the Department is on alert and ready to provide technical assistance and resource augmentation to all Local Government Units(LGUs) as a low pressure area (LPA) enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). 

In a coordination meeting held on December 9, Secretary Tulfo instructed all Field Offices to prepare for any possible effects of the weather disturbance. This is following the directives from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to respond in a proactive manner to deliver assistance to the affected areas within 24 hours. 

“Tinitingala tayo ng mga tao [people are looking up at us] and we are  expected to do our job. And our job is to respond to every calamity or disaster,” Secretary said as he instructed the Field Offices that will be affected by the weather disturbance to cancel day-offs in the coming weekend. 

During the meeting, Regional Directors shared updates on their preparedness efforts, including available standby funds and stockpiles of food and non-food items, as well as the status of the prepositioning of goods in the different localities. 

As of December 10, 6 PM the DSWD Central Office (CO), FOs, and National Resource Operations Center (NROC) have stockpiles and standby funds amounting to more than ₱1.4 billion. Likewise, more than 547,000 family food packs are available to augment the resources of the LGUs.

Meanwhile, the DSWD provided assistance to the stranded individuals at Port Pasacao in Camarines Sur. The four standees who are bound for San Pascual Masbate were provided with family food packs by Field Office V.

Secretary Tulfo calls for the public to remain vigilant and to follow the orders of their local officials to ensure their safety. (DSWD)