DSWD field offices in Mindanao on 'high alert' after 6.8-magnitude quake

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Friday, Nov. 17 ordered its field offices in Mindanao to be on high alert and prepared to support local government units (LGUs) that have been severely affected by the 6.8-magnitude earthquake in southern Philippines.

“The DSWD is on alert to ensure that all affected individuals will receive the needed assistance in the fastest time possible,” Gatchalian said.

The DSWD chief added that field office interoperability will be put into place to support the areas most affected by the earthquake.

“This is to improve our reaction time in responding to affected families while ensuring that pre-positioned food and non-food relief items are effectively utilized,” Gatchalian pointed out.

The DSWD-Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) has also been alerted to ensure that all necessary assistance is delivered to the affected areas immediately.

According to the DRMG’s recent report, P1.43 billion in food and non-food items are available in the agency's disaster response teams across the country.

“The department has adequate stockpiles and standby funds to assist our kababayans in Mindanao. Currently, we have P29.16 million quick response fund at the DSWD Central Office, P14.2 million available at DSWD field offices in Region 10, 11, and 12,” DSWD spokesperson and Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said.

“We also have P65.9 million standby funds available in DSWD FOs which may support the relief needs of the families affected by the effects of the quake through inter-FO augmentation,” he added.

The DSWD has also prepositioned family food packs and other relief items in disaster response centers, including 125,770 food packs at the National Resource Operations Center in Pasay City and 26,468 at the Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Mandaue City.

There are 140,579 food packs available at DSWD field offices in Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccksargen, and other possibly earthquake-affected areas.

The 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mindanao at 4:14 p.m. on Friday.

It had its epicenter 34 kilometers (km) northwest of Sarangani Island, Sarangani town in the province of Davao Occidental, and occurred at a shallow depth of 72 km beneath the epicenter.

The strong earthquake was felt in the neighboring provinces of South Cotabato, Davao del Sur, and Sultan Kudarat, with the highest felt intensity at Intensity VI (very strong).