The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is now preparing to activate its Task Group Taal to assist local government units (LGUs) affected by the Taal Volcanic activity.
According to DSWD Disaster Response Management Group Undersecretary Felicisimo Budiongan during his interview on Laging Handa, the task group will primarily focus on prepositioning additional food and non-food items, and deployment of Quick Response Teams to provide assistance in the response operations of the DSWD Field Office IV-CALABARZON and concerned LGUs.
Meanwhile, DSWD will deploy additional 3,000 hygiene kits, 5,000 sleeping kits, 5,000 family kits and 5,000 Family Food Packs (FFPs) to Batangas Sports Complex, while 2,000 hygiene kits will be delivered to Canyon Woods, Laurel, Batangas.
Aside from assisting in the response operations due to the Taal Volcano unrest, DSWD is also ready to provide aid to LGUs that will be affected by Tropical Depression ‘Emong.’
As of today, the DSWD Central Office and its Field Offices have more than P1.08 billion standby and stockpile funds. Of which, P209.28 million is the available standby funds and 294,272 FFPs are strategically prepositioned in different locations around the country.
DSWD will continue to coordinates with affected localities to ensure that all affected residents will be provided with ample assistance.
Lastly, the Department also urges affected residents to remain vigilant and continue to heed the warnings of their LGUs to prevent untoward incidents