DSWD intensifies repacking of relief to ensure enough help for Marawi crisis evacuees

As the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the ongoing military operations in Marawi City has reached 42,998 families or 212,668 persons as of 6am today,  Field Offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Regions X and XII have intensified their repacking operations to ensure the sufficient provision of food packs to both home-based evacuees and those staying in evacuation centers.

Employees from the different local government agencies and other government regional offices in both regions have volunteered to repack relief goods for distribution to the affected families.

As of press time, more than 90 percent or 39,230 families comprising of 194,603 individuals are staying with their relatives and friends in Lanao Del Sur, Lanao Del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Maguindanao, South Cotabato, Cebu, and Negros Oriental. On the other hand, 3,768 families or 18,065 individuals from Marawi are still staying in 29 evacuation centers set-up by the local government units in nearby towns.

On Saturday, DSWD FO XII distributed Family Food Packs (FFPs) to Marawi residents who evacuated to their relatives in General Santos City. The FO has earlier provided assistance to families who fled to Koronadal and Cotabato City.

On Friday, FO X extended aid to families living outside the evacuation center in Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte. The Field Office has earlier delivered FFPs to home-based evacuees in other municipalities in the province and in Misamis Oriental.

Meanwhile, the Department’s Field Offices in Regions VII and Negros Island Region (NIR) are monitoring some families who are taking refuge in their relatives and friends’ houses in Cebu and in Bacolod.

The DSWD through its FOs X and XII are also continuously providing augmentation support to DSWD ARMM, which is assisting both home-based evacuees and those staying in evacuation centers in Lanao Del Sur and Maguindanao.

Yesterday, DSWD Undersecretary for Operations and Protective Programs Hope Hervilla and Field Office X Director Nestor Ramos visited the displaced families staying in evacuation centes at Madrasah Kampong in the Municipality of Pantar, and at Balo-i Gymnasium in Baloi, Lanao del Norte to check on their condition and to ensure the continuous provision of their needs. ###