The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V has its stockpiles ready for the effects of Tropical Storm Ramon.

According to the latest Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA) weather bulletin at 5:00 pm today, provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) number 1 while Catanduanes is under TCWS number 2.

Based on the November 13, 2019 Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) report for Bicol, there are 23,143 family food packs (FFPs) available at the DSWD Warehouse located in Bogtong, Legazpi City.

Other food items at the DSWD warehouse are still for repacking which includes the following items: 1,470 sacks of NFA rice, 420 boxes of Argentina beef loaf, 556 boxes of Gold Cup sardines, 1,205 boxes of Youngstown corned beef and 490 boxes of Mas Kape 3-in-1 coffee.

Non-food items are also available such as 79 sets of tents, 8,047 boxes of sleeping kit, five (5) pieces of dignity kit, 1,093 boxes of family kit, 2,827 boxes of hygiene kit, 681 kitchen kits, 49,941 pieces of malong, 82 rolls of laminated sacks and 26,338 pieces of blanket.

The DSWD Field Office V has Php3,000,000.00 stand by funds for disaster operations.

.Moreover, DSWD FO V Disaster Response and Management Division (DRMD) is closely monitoring the weather updates and information while the DSWD FO V Quick Response Teams (QRTs) were alerted and advised to be prepared for augmentation support needed from the field and/or 24/7 duty at the DRMD Operation Center.

The Provincial Action Team (PAT) and City/Municipal Action team (C/MAT) members in the six provinces are on standby. The DSWD employees deployed in different cities/municipalities were instructed to coordinate with the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (LDRRMOs) for status reports and updates. /ramsertan/