Gov't prepositions P18M relief goods in Eastern Visayas

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has pre-positioned P18 million worth of family food packs for the residents of Eastern Visayas that would be affected by super typhoon "Ruby" (international name Hagupit) expected to make landfall this weekend.

DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman said the department has prepositioned 270,574 worth of relief supplies to augment resources of local government units to be affected by the weather disturbance.

Other food and non-food items amounting to more than P270 million are also on standby in the regional offices, she said.

Soliman said that all DSWD-Field Offices already have standby funds amounting to over P18 million for the purchase of emergency relief supplies.

She said that the DSWD has adequate stockpile of commodities and standby funds for relief operations at the national and regional levels.

Soliman added that the preparation being undertaken is part of the DSWD’s strengthened disaster response program, especially that "Ruby" is projected to move move very slow as it crosses Visayas.

State weather bureau PAGASA said Ruby is expected to make landfall in Eastern Visayas and will cut across Central and Western Visayas.