6 hours ago
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SOCIAL Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian has directed the immediate release of 20,000 family food packs on Tuesday to Sorsogon as part of the DSWD's relief efforts in response to Mount Bulusan's eruption.
Sorsogon Gov. Jose Edwin Hamor expressed gratitude to Gatchalian for promptly reaching out and taking swift action on the province's request for additional resources following the eruption.
"Thank you very much, just as we discussed earlier, the truck is already there with the 20,000 family food packs allocated to us, just as you promised," Hamor said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Bicol Region Field Office 5 will deploy a mobile command center (MCC) and mobile kitchen to areas heavily impacted by Mount Bulusan's eruption.
"The DSWD is fully prepared, with all hands on deck, as our disaster response team is on the ground, the mobile kitchen is en route and our Mobile Command Center is already here," DSWD Bicol regional director Norman Laurio said.
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"We're also mobilizing other resources to support Sorsogon, specifically the towns of Dagupan, Magallanes, Bulan and Irosin," he added.
The MCC, staffed by a deployment team, will provide continuous and timely communication support to monitor the status of affected families.
It is also equipped with advanced satellite internet, gadgets and a generator, serving as a reliable source of power and internet for both disaster responders and affected communities.
Laurio said that the DSWD's new mobile kitchen will be deployed to provide food for affected families, especially those who may need to evacuate.
The DSWD's Bicol Field Office will maintain coordination with Sorsogon's local government units to assess the impact of the volcanic eruption and identify the needs of affected families.
