DSWD ends repacking of relief goods

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) ended the repacking of food packs for typhoon Ruby victims in north Cebu and Eastern Visayas yesterday.

Shailane Marie S. Lucero, DSWD-7 assistant regional director, said they sent 35,820 food packs in northern Cebu and 46,836 food packs in eastern Visayas specifically in Borongan, eastern Samar and Catarman, northern Samar as well as Palompon town in Leyte and Tacloban City for more than a week.

There were also more than 2,000 volunteers who came over at the repacking centers at Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), Old Sacred Heart School for Boys and the Petroni Warehouse in Mandaue City.

“Ruby is weaker compared to supertyphoon Yolanda. The affected areas left by typhoon Ruby are now manageable,” Lucero said.

Lucero said there are 2,000 food packs for the islets of Bantayan and Camotes Islands that are still to be delivered. Since repacking already ended, other purchased food items like bags of rice, boxes of noodles, coffee, and canned goods that haven’t been repacked will be delivered to eastern Visayas.

Lucero said there is an ongoing inventory to identify how many food items were left.

The DSWD spent P300 million for families affected by typhoon Ruby in central and eastern Visayas areas.

Artemia Degamo, DSWD-7 focal person for disaster, said the loading of unpacked goods already started yesterday.

Degamo said they tapped two ships from Medallion Shipping and Roble Shipping for free.