The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided P32 million worth of relief assistance to local government units affected by heavy rains and flooding in Mindanao and parts of the Visayas, Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Thursday, May 29.
DSWD distributes over P32 million in aid to flood-affected areas in Mindanao, Visayas
DSWD
The aid, which includes food and non-food items, was rapidly deployed in response to widespread damage caused by persistent rainfall due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone.
Since May 15, the weather system has triggered severe flooding and landslides across Mindanao, with additional flooding reported in Iloilo City on May 27.
Based on the report from the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center, 107,700 families, or 334,579 individuals, across 254 barangays in Western Visayas and various regions in Mindanao have been affected.
Gatchalian said the department is working round-the-clock to ensure timely delivery of aid, in line with President Marcos’ directive to provide immediate assistance to affected communities.
He cited the rapid response of DSWD personnel, who reached flood-stricken barangays in Jaro, Iloilo City within 24 hours.
Despite ongoing relief operations, Gatchalian assured the public that the agency’s stockpile remains adequate.
The DSWD currently has over 545,000 family food packs and nearly P240 million worth of non-food relief items, including kitchen, sleeping, and hygiene kits, stored in its warehouses across Mindanao and Western Visayas.
The department is also closely coordinating with the Ministry of Social Services and Development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to ensure aid reaches all affected residents.