The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started distributing the second tranche of relief assistance for 12 northern towns in Cebu affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province on Sept. 30.
Following a meeting with local chief executives in northern Cebu, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian committed to provide an additional 225,000 family food packs to ensure adequate food support for families affected by the earthquake.
The agency completed the first tranche of relief distribution on Monday, Oct. 6, dispatching more than 225,000 food packs to affected local government units (LGUs) in response to their requests for augmentation support.
Recipients of the initial relief include Bogo City and the municipalities of Medellin, San Remigio, Daanbantayan, Tabuelan, Sogod, Tabogon, Borbon, Catmon, Sta. Fe, Madridejos, and Bantayan.
DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, the DSWD had already deployed 267,164 food packs through its Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Mandaue City.
The number includes those delivered under the first tranche, while additional food packs are now being prepared and distributed as part of the second tranche.
The DSWD said its quick response teams in Central Visayas (Field Office 7) continue to produce and deliver food packs round-the-clock to ensure uninterrupted relief operations.
In addition to food packs and ready-to-eat meals, the DSWD has deployed four mobile kitchens to provide hot meals to internally displaced persons in evacuation centers.
The mobile kitchens serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner to affected families.
These facilities are currently stationed in Bogo City and the towns of Medellin, San Remigio, and Daanbantayan.
Three of them were deployed by DSWD Field Offices 8 (Eastern Visayas), 6 (Western Visayas), and 4A (Calabarzon) to support ongoing operations.
A fifth mobile kitchen from Field Office 10 (Northern Mindanao) is expected to arrive in Cebu by Thursday, Oct. 9.