The people of Camarines Sur beamed with pride as they welcomed the arrival of Secretary Erwin Tulfo, the Undersecretaries – Jerico Francis Javier, Rowena Niña Taduran and Marco Bautista, and Director Mike Hilario, to grace the ribbon cutting and blessing of the DSWD-PLGU Cam Sur Warehouse in Cadlan, Pili and the inauguration and MOA Signing of the DSWD Satellite office in Iriga City held on October 19, 2022.

Present during the two separate events were the members of the Regional Management Committee headed by FO5 Regional Director Norman S. Laurio and ARDO Melchor L. Sañano, Division Chiefs – Gerlie Avila, Priscilla Saladaga, Marissa Paeste, and Susan Belleza. They were also joined by the AICS team headed by Donna Osial, Provincial Action Team headed by Harry Jay Daet, and the Social Marketing Team headed by Marygizelle Mesa. The members of the Provincial Local Government Unit of Camarines Sur and of the Local Government Unit of Iriga City were also in full support of the activities. The Philippine National Police provided security during the entire stay of the secretary.

The first part of the program was the ribbon cutting and blessing of the DSWD-PLGU warehouse provided by Governor Vincenzo Renato Luigi R. Villafuerte. This spacious warehouse can house prepositioned goods enough to cater the needs of the people of Camarines Sur in times of disasters. At present, there are 1,973 family food packs, 100 kitchen kits, 100 hygiene kits, 100 sleeping kits and 100 family kits at the warehouse after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Karding, to be replenished in preparation for the typhoon season. In his message, Sec. Erwin assured Camarines Sur that DSWD will be working hand in hand with the PLGU and LGUs so that help will come right away. He thanked the good governor thru his representative, Hon. Salvio Patrick Edmund F. Fortuno Jr. – Vice Governor, for answering his call for additional warehouses in the different provinces of the Bicol Region.

The second part of the activity was the inauguration and MOA signing of the DSWD Satellite Office in Iriga City. Sec. Erwin heartily thanked Hon. Rex C. Oliva, Mayor of the said city who generously donated the strategically located office at the terminal site including its 3 air-conditioning units to provide a more comfortable and safer place for the clients and the employees. DSWD will be occupying the office free of charge.

This new satellite office is in response to the need of the agency to decongest the SWAD office in Naga City, which for a long time, had been the lone DSWD office in the province serving the five (5) districts of Camarines Sur.

This office will also cater to clients of the nearby municipalities of Baao, Balatan, Bato, Buhi, Bula and Nabua.

The agency also opened the satellite office at the 3rd floor of E-Mall in Naga City, and will soon be opening at the Partido area.

Secretary Tulfo promised the people of Camarines Sur especially of Iriga City that those who will be needing medical, burial, educational, transportation and food assistance will no longer be travelling far to Naga City and on a schedule basis just to get their needed assistance because of these additional two satellite offices. He instructed RD Laurio to ensure that assistance sought for by clients with complete documents presented are to be released immediately within the day.