As more areas in Metro Manila have been placed under granular lockdown, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) expressed Friday, March 12, readiness to augment the resources of local government units (LGUs) affected by the rising cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao assured the public that the agency has enough resources and funds to assist the coronavirus-stricken areas.
“Hindi naman po natin ninanais na magkaron muli ng panibagong lockdown ngunit kung sakaling magkaron ng ganyang eventualities po ang DSWD ay handang tumugon sa pangangailangan ng mga local government units at resource augmentation para rin po maipamahagi sa kanilang nasasakupan (It is not that we anticipate for another lockdown, but should there be any eventualities, the DSWD is ready to respond to the needs of the local government units and their request for resource augmentation so we can distribute goods to their constituents),” she told the DZRH in an interview.
She said family foods packs (FFPs) were available for distribution to the LGUs most affected by the pandemic crisis.
The DSWD- Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) reported that as of 6 p.m., March 11, the DSWD has available stockpiles and standby funds amounting to over 1.22 billion. Of the amount, P387.22 million was allocated as the agency's standby funds.
Based on the latest DROMIC report, the DSWD has available stockpiles worth P840.5 million. These include P449.8 million worth of non-food items and P258.76 million worth of other food items.
A total of 284, 300 family food packs worth P131.94 million were available for distribution, the report said.
When asked if the implementation of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) 3 can be expected following the surging cases of COVID-19, Dumlao said, "Kinakailangan po natin ng enabling law (We need an enabling law) if you are talking of social amelioration and emergency subsidy.”
She explained that the distribution of emergency cash subsidy was implemented because of the passage of Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, and Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
“Kung sakali po na magkaroon ng panibagong batas na nagsasabi na mamigay tayo ng karagdagang emergency subsidiy, natitityak din po ng DSWD na maipapamahagi natin yan sa ating kababayan (Just in case a new law is enacted mandating the provision of additional emergency subsidy, the DSWD assures that it will be distributed to our countrymen),” Dumlao said.