MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Thursday highlighted its Buong Bansa Handa (BBH) project that enabled it to swiftly respond to the immediate needs of families and individuals affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami).
Based on records, the DSWD has already distributed 71, 514 family food packs (FFPs) and 2, 134 non-food items (NFIs) worth PhP 55.28 milion as of 6 a.m. Thursday to Kristine-affected communities nationwide.
Leo Quintilla, Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) and Concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB), said this was accomplished through the BBH project, which employs two parallel supply chain mechanisms for disaster preparedness and response.
“The first one features a national and local government-driven supply chain, while the second supply chain forges partnerships with established large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors to leverage on their technical expertise and resources to create a private sector-driven supply chain,” Quiintilla said during a media forum at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.
“In just one day, we have already released around 17, 000 FFPs. Ito po yung pinakamabilis (this is the fastest). Bakit po pinakamabilis (Why was it the fastest)? Number one ay nagkaroon tayo ng programa na tinatawag na (we launched a program called) BBH. This is a strategy of the DSWD, especially on the production and prepositioning of FFPs especially to different levels – what we called the hubs, the spokes, and last miles,” he said.
He explained that the hubs are the production areas of the agency which also serve as the central storage facilities.
These include three National Resource Operations Centers (NROCs) located in the cities of Pasay, Valenzuela, and Paranaque in Metro Manila; and the Visayas Disaster Resource Centers (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu province.
There are also four DSWD Field Office (FO) Central Luzon hubs in the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac; and one DSWD FO Davao Region hub in Pantukan town, Davao de Oro province.
Another hub is currently being constructed in Butuan City in Caraga Region that will serve the whole of Mindanao.
He said each hub has the capacity to produce 10, 000 to 15, 000 FFPs a day.
Aside from the hubs, the DSWD has 75 spokes facilities nationwide which are provided by local government units (LGUs) in strategically located areas in cities as well as in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class municipalities.
“The spokes are the DSWD regional warehouses – owned, managed, or rented by the DSWD. Ito naman po ay may kakayahan mag-store ng (These can store) 5, 000 up to 10, 000 FFPs. These are usually situated in major cities and regional centers,” Quintilla said.
The last mile warehouses nationwide, meanwhile, are strategically located in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) or hard-to-reach areas, including 4th, 5th, and 6th class municipalities.
“Last mile warehouses have a capacity of less than 5, 000,” he said.
Through the BBH, the DSWD was able to preposition more than 2 million FFPS in the agency’s different warehouses nationwide even before Kristine hit the country.
Sustained relief aid
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian earlier assured Filipinos that the agency will sustain the provision of relief assistance through its BBH program to ensure that no one will go hungry amid the devastating impact of Kristine.
“Nais naming i-assure ang ating mga kakabayan na naapektuhan ng Bagyong Kristine na nakahanda ang aming Departamento na mag-supply ng mga family food packs nationwide sa ating mga local government units na siya namang magdi-distribute sa ating mga residente. Makakaasa po kayo tuluy-tuloy din po yan dahil yan ang instruction ng ating mahal na pangulo (Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.), na walang biktima ng kalamidad na ito ang magugutom (We would like to assure our countrymen who were affected by Kristine that the DSWD is ready to supply FFPs nationwide to LGUs, which in turn, will distribute them to the residents. Be assured that this will be continuous because that is the directive of our President, that no victim of this calamity will go hungry),” Gatchalian told reporters in Malacañang Palace during the press briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on the government’s response efforts to the effects of Kristine.
He also pointed out that while the current priority is to provide relief assistance to severely-affected communities, the DSWD is also prepared to disburse financial aid to support their other needs and early recovery in the coming days.
“Let me categorically say that the DSWD has available funds ready to mobilize financial assistance in the coming days. Hindi naman yan nauubos (that could not be depleted), that’s on top of our regular assistance funds, and we also have disaster funds,” Gatchalian said.
“Pag bumaba na po ang tubig baha, ang mga cash relief at cash assistance ay magsisimula na sa mabilis na panahon (Once the floods subside, the cash relief and cash assistance will commence in the soonest time),” he added. (PNA)