Legazpi City– DSWD Bicol allocated a total of 11,000 Family Food Packs (FFPs) as relief augmentation to the survivors of TY Odette in Southern Leyte. Due to logistical limitations, the goods are being delivered in batches. Initially, Field Office (FO) V sent 1,000 FFPs last Saturday, December 18, 2021, with the assistance of the Philippine National Police. The FFPs arrived in Tacloban last Monday.

Today, FO V loaded additional 2,000 FFPs to be transported by the BRP Federico Martir of Naval Forces Southern Luzon (NAVFORSOL).  The FOV has already coordinated with the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) to finalize logistics arrangement to transport the remaining 8,000 relief goods. In total, the relief augmentation allocated by DSWD Bicol costs PhP 7,395,533.00.

Family Food Packs composition

A box of FFP is enough to feed a family with five members for two days. Each FFP contain six kilograms of rice, ten canned goods, five sachets of instant coffee, and five sachets of cereal drink. Depending on the availability of supply, the composition of canned goods may differ. Usually, each box contains sardines, corned beef, and corned tuna.

Other assistance

Aside from FFPs, DSWD Bicol has enough supplies to provide additional Non-food Items (NFIs) such as hygiene kits, kitchen kits, family kits, sleeping kits, and laminated sacks should FO VIII require NFI augmentation. These supplies will be distributed to families in evacuation centers and those with partially or totally damaged house. In addition, the field office is also preparing a team for possible deployment in typhoon affected communities. The team will be composed of DSWD Bicol staff who are trained in Psychological First Aid and Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) to help survivors cope with the physical and psychological impacts of the disaster. The Rapid Emergency Telecommunication (RET) team of FOV will also be deployed in Region VII to help re-establish communication.