Coast Guard personnel in Surigao City help unload the first batch of family food packs from the wing vans that carry the goods from Cebu City.
contributed photo
Earthquake Relief Aid
The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) sent relief goods to Surigao del Norte following the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that hit the province last February 10.
“As a response to the immediate needs of the earthquake survivors, we provide augmentation to DSWD Caraga,” said DSWD-7 Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre.
Since February 13, DSWD-7 has been sending family food packs to Surigao City.
The government agency completed the delivery of the requested 30,000 family food packs last February 16.
“We opted to transport the family food packs through a cargo ship and not through plane because the runway of Surigao City airport was damaged,” said Macapobre.
Each family food pack contains six kilos rice, four cans sardines, four cans corned beef or beef loaf and six sachets coffee.
The DSWD-7 also sent non-food items together with the last batch of family food packs.
These included 5,000 mats, 5,000 mosquito nets, 5,000 blankets, 10,000 pieces malong and 900 pre-cut laminated sacks.
“At any given time, we have 30,000 stockpile of family food packs ready for immediate delivery upon request,” said Director Macapobre.
Director Macapobre also underscored that through the Visayas Disaster Response Center (VDRC), we were able to improve the storage of food packs and warehousing of food and non-food commodities, and we are assured of the quality of stockpiles of family food packs.
The VDRC, which is located in Barangay Casuntingan, Mandaue City, houses the custom-built mechanized production system designed to rapidly put together family food packs.
The VDRC is a continuation of the strategic partnership between the DSWD and United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) to enhance the emergency response in the Philippines. It is funded by the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom. /PR
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