Food packs readied in Visayas

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned around P30 million in food packs for distribution to provinces hit by Tropical Depression “Queenie,” which hit the Visayas region.

In a statement, the agency said 116,815 family food packs worth P30.7 million are ready for distribution, while another P7 million in standby funds have been prepared for the purchase of emergency relief supplies.

As of 10 a.m. Thursday, 224 families or 1,023 people from the Caraga region were affected by the weather disturbance.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said affected local government units have opened 15 evacuation centers, where 206 families or 899 people are currently staying.

These evacuation centers are in the towns of San Jose and Dinagat in Dinagat Island; Socorro and Dapa in Surigao del Norte; and Hinatuan, Cagwit, and Bayabas in Surigao Del Sur.

Caraga field office director Minda Brigoli said her office has on hand 12,000 family food packs to augment the local government unit’s (LGU) resources, and another 16,000 family food packs in its stock pile.

The DSWD’s quick response teams are coordinating with LGUs to provide assistance to families affected by the tropical depression.

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