The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday, Aug. 23, said it maintains standby funds amounting to P1.7 billion to ensure the quick provision of augmentation assistance to local government units (LGUs) that have been affected by severe tropical storm Florita (international name: Ma-on).

Of this amount, around P283 million worth of family food packs are ready to be distributed to the various LGUs in northern Luzon, DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Romel Lopez said in an interview with Teleradyo.

Around 480,000 family food packs are ready for distribution, Lopez said.

“Ito pong DSWD Central Office, kasama po iyong aming field offices, tsaka yung National Resource Operations Center, nandito po yung repacking natin ng relief goods, ay pinaghanda na po. On red alert na po kami (The DSWD Central Office, along with our field offices, and the National Resource Operations Center, which is where the repacking of relief goods is being conducted, have been asked to prepare. We are now on red alert),” he said.

Lopez assured that all its disaster response teams along the track of the storm have been placed on alert status.

“Ang maganda lang dito, since nung July 27 earthquake sa northern Luzon, ay nakapagpreposition na tayo ng mga assets natin, ng mga family food packs natin at ganun din naman ng QRF sa Region 1 (The good thing here is that since the July 27 earthquake in northern Luzon, we have been able to preposition our assets, our family food packs and the same with the quick response funds in Ilocos Region," he added.

The DSWD reminded the public to remain vigilant and to cooperate with their respective LGUs to ensure their safety.