In response to the devastating floods caused by a shear line in Eastern Samar last week, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided significant relief by distributing 6,397 family food packs (FFPs) to the affected communities. The distribution took place in four towns that were hit hardest by the flooding: Arteche, Jipapad, Maslog, and Oras. Specifically, Arteche received 1,230 FFPs, Jipapad got 1,883, Maslog was allocated 1,584, and Oras received 1,700 packs.
The DSWD’s efforts are focused on providing immediate assistance to those whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by the continuous heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding. The shear line not only affected Eastern Samar but also impacted Leyte and Northern Samar, leading to the displacement of 25,872 families across 18 towns.
Each family food pack, valued at PHP500, is designed to sustain a family of two to three members for two to three days. The contents of each pack include six kilograms of rice, four cans of corned beef, two cans of tuna flakes, two cans of sardines, five sachets of coffee, and five sachets of energy drink.
The DSWD’s intervention comes under the framework of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, which mandates local governments to be the first responders in disaster situations, with the DSWD stepping in to augment these efforts.