DSWD Region 5 sends 30,000 Family Food Packs (FFPs) as relief augmentation to families affected by massive floodings in Region 8.

Under the guidance of DSWD Secretary REX Gatchalian, DSWD Bicol Regional Director Norman S. Laurio spearheaded inter-operability efforts to expedite the delivery of essential supplies to the disaster-stricken region.

DSWD FO 5 in collaboration with all the other agencies and partners in the Bicol Region gear up to send immediate augmentation support to DSWD FO 8 under Regional Director Grace Subong, to immediately address the pressing needs of the affected communities.

Director Laurio’s proactive approach also involved strategic coordinations with the local government authorities who are in full support to the agency. Sorsogon Governor Jose Edwin “Boboy” B. Hamor and Camarines Sur Governor Luigi Villafuerte contributed crucial logistical support, with Governor Hamor providing four (4) trucks and Governor Villafuerte allocating two (2) trucks for the efficient transportation of the food packs. Two (2) additional trucks from FO V will join the convoy, comprising a fleet of eight (8) vehicles to deliver the initial assistance to Region VIII.

The 10,000 family food packs are already in transit today, November 24, 2023 to Municipalities of Catarman, Mondragon, and Pambujan, Northern Samar, with an approximately 8 hours of sea and land travel from the FO V Regional Warehouse in Bogtong, Legazpi City, Albay to the specified municipalities.

Furthermore, the remaining food packs will be directed to the Matnog, Sorsogon Warehouse. AKO BICOL Partylist Representative, Congressman Zaldy Co, has also provided a trailer truck with a maximum absorptive capacity of 4,000 FFPs per delivery. This truck will be utilized to transport the food packs from Legazpi City Regional Warehouses to Matnog Warehouse. DSWD FO VIII will retrieve the remaining 20,000 FFPs in Matnog, ensuring a comprehensive distribution across the affected areas.

The Bicol region was also affected by this weather disturbance, according to the latest DROMIC Report of DSWD Field FO V, 449 barangays from five (5) provinces in the Region were affected, with 54,735 families or 235,746 individuals, predominantly farmers, fisherfolks, and other victims whose livelihood was disrupted.

As of November 24, 2023, DSWD FO V has successfully distributed more than Php 12 million worth of assistance, equivalent to 19,160 FFPs, to the affected families.

DSWD Bicol, through its Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD), is completing the delivery of relief assistance as a resource augmentation to other affected LGUs throughout the Bicol Region.

The field office has a standby fund of P5,000,000.00, 85,064 family food packs amounting to P60,769,811.80 and non-food items amounting to P70,438,732.05, readily available for augmentation to all requesting affected municipalities and provinces.

Bicol Region is now the central food and relief hub and coordination point for disaster operations in Visayas and Mindanao.###