Latest news with #DepartmentofSocialWelfareandDevelopment
The Star
19 hours ago
- Climate
- The Star
Kanlaon Volcano's unrest affects over 94,000 individuals – Department of Social Welfare and Development
A vehicle has been stuck in lahar that affected a road in Sitio Tamburong in Barangay Biak-na-bato, La Castellana town in Negros Occidental. Heavy rains on Friday night, May 23, 2025, triggered a lahar flow after rainwater mixed with the volcanic ash from recent eruptions of Kanlaon Volcano. - Photo: MJ Guardiano MANILA: Over 94,000 individuals have been affected by the continued unrest of Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). In the 6.20am Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Centre (Dromic) report on Sunday (July 6), the DSWD said it recorded a total of 94,228 persons affected, residing across 30 barangays nationwide. Of the total, 5,940 individuals are staying in evacuation centers, while 10,621 have taken shelter elsewhere. The ongoing unrest of the volcano also caused partial damage to 5,031 houses. In response, the DSWD has distributed a total of P192,717,635 worth of humanitarian assistance. According to its 8am bulletin, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported 10 volcanic earthquakes recorded at Mt. Kanlaon. The volcano also emitted 1,590 tons of sulfur dioxide on Saturday, July 5, with plumes reaching up to 650 meters high. Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 3, indicating magmatic unrest. Phivolcs recommended the evacuation of all residents within a six-kilometer radius of the volcano's summit. The agency also warned that flying aircraft near the volcano is prohibited. Residents were cautioned about potential hazards such as sudden explosive eruptions, lava flows, ash fall, rockfall, lahar during heavy rains, and pyroclastic flows. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
GMA Network
a day ago
- Climate
- GMA Network
P3B in aid ready for 2025 calamities — DSWD
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Sunday that it has P3 billion in standby funds and a prepositioned relief stockpile ready for calamities nationwide this year. 'Ito po ay magagamit natin para tutugon sa mga request ng iba't-ibang local government units (LGUs) na naapektuhan (this will be used to respond to the different requests of calamity-affected LGUs),' DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao told Super Radyo dzBB. She added that over three million family food packs are prepositioned in DSWD warehouses across the country, as well as in local government units (LGUs) and private organizations' warehouses. In a separate dzBB interview, the Office of Civil Defense reported over 3,700 families from the Ilocos Region (Region I), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Cagayan Valley (Region II) have been affected so far by Bising (international name: Danas). Dumlao said DSWD has provided aid to the affected residents, particularly in Benguet and Ilocos Sur. On Friday, Bising exited the PAR. It developed into a severe tropical storm on Saturday night and reached typhoon category on Sunday. PAGASA said Danas may re-enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by this evening or early Monday morning. At 11 p.m., Danas was observed 385 kilometers west northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 km/h, and heading north northwestward at 10 km/h. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Climate
- GMA Network
Food packs for stranded passengers eyed in new DSWD, PPA deal
The Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Philippine Ports Authority signed an agreement aiming to provide ready-to-eat food packs to passengers who will be stranded in major and critical ports in the country during times of calamities. 'Ito ay upang matiyak na yung mga kababayan natin na hindi po makapaglayag ay mabibigyan ng immediate relief assistance. Itong mga ready-to-eat food packs natin ay ipe-preposition sa mga major and critical ports nang sa gayon yung mga pangangailangan sa pagkain ay matutugunan natin kapag may mga bagyo o disasters,' said DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao in an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. (This is to ensure that those who are unable to sail will be given immediate relief assistance. These ready-to-eat food packs will be prepositioned at major and critical ports so that we can instantly provide food in the event of typhoons or disasters.) The DSWD official said the food packs will be provided to stranded passengers in at least 25 ports nationwide, including the North Harbor in Manila. 'Ang istratehiya na ito ay isinagawa natin ay dahil kung matatandaan, last year sunod-sunod ang mga bagyo na naka-apekto sa ating bansa,' said Dumlao. (We implemented this strategy because, if you recall, last year, our country was hit by a series of typhoons.) Among the contents of the food pack are champorado, arroz caldo, tuna paella, chicken pastil, ground chicken, protein-rich biscuits, and complementary food for toddlers and breastfeeding moms. 'Hindi na kinakailangan na ipainit, hindi kinakailangan ng mainit na tubig. Pupunitin mo lang yung packs or i-open mo lang tin cans, you can consume it already,' said Dumlao, adding that utensils are also included in the pack. (No need to heat it or use hot water. Just tear the packs or open the tin cans, and you can consume it already.) The ready-to-eat foods in the pack were developed by the Department of Science and Technology's Food and Nutrition Research Institute, the DSWD added. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
28-06-2025
- General
- GMA Network
DSWD: Reselling of disaster relief packs against the law
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) warned against the repackaging and reselling of relief items for disaster response, such as ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes. DSWD-National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) Officer-In-Charge and Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) Leo Quintilla said that the RTEFs and family food packs (FFPs) are reserved for victims of calamities and emergencies. 'Ito ang mga bawal: pagbenta at pagbili, bawal ang pag repack, pagpalit na laman—hindi pwedeng palitan ang laman. Violation ito sa RA 10121… These are distributed free of charge by the DSWD or through local government units (LGUs) to ensure that basic needs are met in times of crisis," Quantilla said in a radio interview. (These are what's not allowed: reselling and purchasing, repacking isn't allowed, replacing the items—you cannot replace what is in the box. This is a violation of RA 10121… These are distributed free of charge by the DSWD or through local government units (LGUs) to ensure that basic needs are met in times of crisis.) "Pwede kang kasuhan kapag nilabag mo ang mga ito,' she added. (You may face charges if you violate any of these.) Other acts prohibited by RA10121 are as follows: Misdelivering goods or aid to persons other than the rightful recipient Accepting, possessing, using or disposing goods or aid without being the rightful recipient Misrepresenting the source of goods or aid by covering, replacing or defacing labels to appear as if it came from another agency or person Repacking goods or aid to containers with different markings from another agency or person DSWD also shared that each RTEF box included the following: Five cans of tuna paella One can of chicken pastil One can of giniling Two packs of arroz caldo Three packs of champorado Two protein biscuits One complementary food for infants 'What is important also is nandito na sa box yung content o anong laman. Alam ng tao anong laman, dapat pagbukas ng tao ay ito ang mga laman ng RTEF box,' she said. (What is important also is that the content is already listed on the box. The people know what is inside, so when they open the RTEF box, it should be there.)——Jiselle Anne Casucian/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
28-06-2025
- General
- GMA Network
DSWD: AICS not just for the poor
An official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Saturday debunked misconceptions that the agency's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) is "only for the poor." 'For AICS, wala kaming tinitignan it can be low or high income. It can be rich or poor. It can be professional or not, may trabaho o wala,' said DSWD Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU) Director Edwin Morata at the Saturday News Forum. (For AICS, we don't look at anything, it can be low or high income. It can be rich or poor. It can be professional or not, with a job or not.) Morata emphasized that the AICS is a 'catch-all' stop-gap measure and assistance program being provided by the agency, which would depend on the situation being faced by a requesting individual. He also added that the initiative is not just a cash aid program but also includes psychosocial interventions such as psychological first aid, counseling, and others. These are on top of financial and other aid to help individuals cope with crisis situations like illness, death, or job loss. AICS provides medical assistance, burial, transportation, education, food, or financial assistance or other support services or needs of a person or family experiencing crises. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
