The Dept. of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-6) has transported Thursday morning a total of 4,560 family food packs to the provinces of Aklan and Capiz to augment relief efforts of the Local Government Units.
By far, 1,650 food packs were sent to the Province of Aklan yet some 3,000 packs were already pre-positioned in Capiz ahead of tropical cyclone Ursula’s landfall.
Typhoon Ursula’s (International name: Phanfone) made a landfall in Western Visayas on Christmas Eve.
Netizens from typhoon-hit areas in Aklan, Capiz, and towns in Northern Iloilo brought to social media sites mobile-phone captured photos and videos of typhoon Ursula’s onslaught.
This prompted the volunteer-arm UP Pahinungod of the University of the Philippines Visayas to call on for volunteers to help and assist DSWD Region-6 for the repacking of relief goods.
“Be a volunteer, a UPV Pahinungod volunteer! Isn’t this one meaningful way of sending our 2019 Christmas? I am organizing a team of Pahinungod volunteers (UP and non-UP) for the packing of goods at the DSWD Warehouse in Mambog, Oton in connection with the destruction to homes and properties especially in Northern Panay,” reads a Facebook post in the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Visayas account dated December 25 at 3:42 P.M.
In a follow through post, a photo of UP Pahinungod volunteers were already on the DSWD Warehouse receiving a briefing for the repacking of goods for relief operations.
“These volunteers heeded our call. Instead of spending their Christmas break in the comforts of their homes, they joined us, together with DSWD, in repacking of relief goods for the victims of Typhoon Ursula. Tuloy ang boluntarismo, tatak Pusong Pahinungod, Pusong UP!,” the post highlighted.
The food packs from the DSWD-6 were meant to augment relief efforts by LGUs who remains to be at the frontline of providing services to affected constituents during periods of crisis and disasters.
“DSWD has sufficient stockpile to provide help to LGUs who needed our assistance,” said Assistant Regional Director for Administration Evangeline B. Felecio.
Data shared by the regional agency on December 26,2019 (2:30 P.M.) revealed that a total of 2,496 families were reportedly affected by tropical cyclone Ursula. It consists of 9,226 persons from 81 barangays in Western Visayas.
Moreover, it shared that a total of 1,177 families or 4,149 persons are taking temporary shelter in 61 evacuation centers while 1,089 families or 4,983 persons are currently staying with their relatives and friends.
The regional office also provided materials for Child-Friendly Spaces in evacuation centers, especially in Pontevedra, Capiz and in Balasan, Iloilo. In times of calamities, child protection remains a top priority of DSWD-6 and it has put in place interventions to ensure that the overall well-being of the children if preserved and protected.
The agency has deployed staff for the Aklan Operations Center. The DSWD-6 is still under Blue Alert.
*Photos and Facebook screen grabs are from https://www.facebook.com/PahinungodSaVisayas/