MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is actively addressing the needs of individuals, particularly the youth and children, affected by the five tropical cyclones that hit the country in the past three weeks.
DSWD Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said on Thursday the agency distributed diapers to children and toddlers of families hit by Typhoon Nika (international name Toraji) in Dolores town, Abra province on November 11.
“Aside from the family food packs, our personnel from DSWD Field Office Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) also distributed diapers to some Nika-affected families from Dolores, Abra province. These were given to those who have young children and toddlers with them, sourced from our Regional Reception and Study Center for Children,” Dumlao said in a news release.
She said the initiative aligns with the department’s responsibility as the lead agency for the Camp Coordination and Camp Management for Internally Displaced Persons during disasters and crises.
“Due to the series of storms, some of our kababayans (countrymen) have gone in and out of evacuation centers. And of course, of these affected families, and individuals, kasama na rin diyan ang mga bata (including children) who require our extra attention and expanded interventions,” she said.
Republic Act 10821, or the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act, provides the agency’s Child Care Management guidelines.
It prioritizes the welfare of lactating mothers and their children in evacuation centers.
Dumlao said the agency provides psychosocial services for adults and play therapy for children in evacuation centers to reduce the stress and trauma caused by disasters.
“This is, of course, facilitated by our focal personnel deployed in the field, and in coordination with concerned local government units. Just like in a report we recently gathered from the Ilocos Region, our field office personnel worked with the La Union Incident Management Group to provide psychosocial support not just to our children, but also women and older people,” she said.
The DSWD, she added, coordinates with local responders to provide child- and women-friendly spaces in evacuation centers.
The agency’s front-line responders are well-trained and knowledgeable in supporting senior citizens and evacuees with disabilities during crises and disaster emergencies, she added.
“These are always in effect during disasters. However, with the consecutive storms and their impact, dito na nga mas lumalaki ang demand (the demand increases) to scale up and drumbeat our efforts,” Dumlao said.
“Beyond the food needs of our kababayans, we are tapping fully our available resources and interventions to ensure that all individuals and their needs would not be neglected,” she added.
The latest bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration showed that Typhoon Ofel made landfall over Baggao, Cagayan at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Ofel is the fifth tropical cyclone to hit the country after Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name Trami) devastated Bicol region and Batangas, leaving at least 116 people dead on October 24. (PNA)