DSWD calls for more basic goods, blankets, medicines, food, water

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Wednesday was appealing for more blankets, clothing, medicine, water, and food for the more than 800,000 people affected by floods.

“We need additional [supplies], if there are those who want to donate it would be better,” Jocelyn Lagang, Social Welfare Officer told reporters in a briefing Wednesday.

She said that some of the evacuees were experiencing respiratory ailments such as cough and colds.

The DSWD was doing its best with their meager resources but they will need to replenish their stocks since more rains and storms are expected until the end of the rainy season, she said.

There were already three suspected cases of Leptospirosis in Bataan, but these were not yet definite cases, Alvin Barros of the Department of Health said.

He also said that they have provisioned portalets (portable toilets) in evacuations centers for the evacuees’ hygenic needs. The ratio of portalets to people was one per 50. “We hope this will be followed, but our assessment is still ongoing,” he said.

He added that schools that were used as evacuation centers had their own comfort rooms.

National Relief Operations Center already has available bottled water and their next step would be to use water purifier treatment facilities.

These can be used in areas where there are water supply sources but are not sure if it can be safe for drinking, he said.