In a strategic move to enhance disaster response, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to establish warehouses in every municipality within Western Visayas. This initiative was announced by DSWD Regional Director Arwin Razo during a press conference in Iloilo City. The goal is to expedite aid delivery to disaster-stricken communities by ensuring that essential supplies are readily available at the local level.
Razo explained that the DSWD is open to signing agreements with local government units (LGUs) that have storage facilities. These agreements would allow the DSWD to store family food packs and other necessary non-food items. Currently, the DSWD has established partnerships with over 80 LGUs in the region, which are equipped with standby supplies for emergency deployments.
For LGUs with regional evacuation centers, the DSWD automatically positions standby goods based on the facility’s capacity. Razo emphasized that the department will closely monitor these supplies. As items approach their expiration dates, they can be repurposed for food-for-work programs, provided that the LGUs submit proposals to the DSWD.
Currently, the DSWD has prepositioned relief supplies in its regional warehouses in Oton, Iloilo, and Bacolod City, as well as in 69 other key locations throughout Western Visayas. This year, the department has allocated over PHP365.2 million to assist families affected by various disasters.