Legazpi City—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region V has already activated the Emergency Management Team (EMT) at the Regional Office today.

The EMT will coordinate with local government units (LGUs) through the DSWD extensions offices at the provincial level for humanitarian relief assistance.

Dir. Arnel Garcia instructed the DSWD municipal/city and provincial action teams to closely work with the Provincial/Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (DRRMOs) to gather disaster reports and updates.

There are no reported evacuees but there are stranded passengers based on the DSWD FOV Update Report re: TS Urduja as of 9am, December 15, 2017:

DSWD Region V has Php 8,662,702.15 standby funds and stockpile of 5,118 family food packs (FFPs) ready for augmentation to LGUs. DSWD provides Food and Non-Food Items (FNFI) to the disaster-affected families.

Moreover, DSWD has 22,500 pre-positioned relief goods or FFPs in the following areas based on the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) Report on TS “URDUJA” as of 14 December 2017, 8PM:

Municipality Quantity
LGU San Jose, Camarines Sur 1,000
LGU Canaman, Camarines Sur 500
LGU Camaligan, Camarines Sur 500
LGU Donsol, Sorsogon 500
LGU Pilar, Sorsogon 1,000
LGU Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon 500
LGU Panganiban, Catanduanes 1,000
LGU Bagamanoc, Catanduanes 1,000
LGU Virac, Catanduanes 1,000
LGU Tinambac, Camarines Sur 1,000
LGU Balatan, Camarines Sur 1,000
LGU Bombon, Camarines Sur 500
LGU Mercedes, Camarines Norte 1,000
LGU Vinzons, Camarines Norte 1,000
LGU Libmanan, Camarines Sur 1,500
LGU Siruma, Camarines Sur 1,000
LGU Esperanza, Masbate 1,500
LGU Juban, Sorsogon 500
LGU Placer, Masbate 1,500
LGU Magallanes, Sorsogon 500
LGU Viga, Catanduanes 1,000
LGU Pandan, Catanduanes 1,000
LGU Lagonoy, Camarines Sur 1,000
LGU Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte 1,000
LGU Jovellar, Albay 500

On the other hand, DSWD Officer-in-Charge Emmanuel A. Leyco said that DSWD does not tolerate and strongly condemns the selling and buying of the Department’s relief goods. He warns the public that those who commit any of the prohibited acts face a fine ranging from P50,000 – P500,000 or imprisonment of six years up to 12 years
.
Section 19 of RA10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 prohibits the selling of relief goods, equipment, or other aid commodities intended for distribution to disaster victims. It also prohibits buying, either for consumption or resale, of relief supplies both from disaster relief agencies and from the recipient disaster-affected persons.