LGUs Should Have Warehouse to Stockpile Relief Goods in Case of Disaster

Local government units (LGUs) should have their own warehouse to stockpile their relief goods for prepositioning in order to immediately respond to the needs of their constituents in case disaster hits their area.

Artemia Degamo, disaster focal person of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) said LGUs are the frontliners of their respective localities to immediately address the needs of their community in the aftermath of a disaster.

“The DSWD is always ready to assist the LGUs in case they need food packs for affected families,” said Degamo but added that their agency merely augments the relief goods that should be initially provided by the LGUs.

Degamo said the DSWD-7 is ready to respond anytime and that an initial 30,000 food packs have already been set aside to complement the LGU’s food provision for affected families.

The food packs are stocked in the DSWD-7 warehouses for strategic prepositioning.

According to Degamo, LGUs should have their own warehouse for the safekeeping of their relief goods as a major problem is transport after roads become impassable after a disaster leading to the affected locality.

The DSWD-7 disaster focal person said they are closely coordinating with the LGUs, even more so after the calamity.

Cebu on the other hand, is the operations hub for the Visayas for logistical concerns during post-disaster which began in the Yolanda aftermath, said Degamo.

“The DSWD-7 in Cebu is the Visayas Disaster Response Center, which means we should be ready anytime to assist other provinces in the Visayas Region hit by calamity,” said Degamo.

“A P3 million funding is set aside for the family food packs,” said Degamo.

Degamo further said Quick Response Teams will be deployed immediately in case of a major calamity and that parent leaders of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program are tapped as volunteers to reproduce the family food packs in a massive scale. (rmn/fcr/PIA7-Cebu/Musel Sanchez Bonife, PIT Comm Intern)