GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/08 December) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 12 has dispatched an initial 15,000 family food packs to areas affected by typhoon “Ruby” in Eastern Visayas and the neighboring areas.
Bonifacio Selma, DSDWD Region 12 acting operations division chief, said Monday the relief goods are now in transit and are expected to arrive in the typhoon-hit areas within the next two to three days.
“(The food packs) will be delivered to our units in Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) to augment the ongoing relief operations there,” he said in an interview over local television show Magandang Umaga South Central Mindanao.
Selma said the food packs were part of the assistance prepared by the DSWD-12 in anticipation of the onslaught of typhoon “Ruby,” which made its first landfall on Saturday night in Dolores, Eastern Samar.
As of 2 p.m. Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the eye of typhoon “Ruby” was spotted at 30km northwest of Torrijos, Marinduque.
Selma said DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman earlier ordered all regional offices in the country to prepare relief packs for immediate dispatch to the typhoon-ravaged areas.
Each standard family food pack contains six kilograms of ice, eight sachets of coffee, eight packs of instant noodles and six canned goods comprising three sardines and three corned beef.
The relief packs are meant address the immediate food needs of a family of five for two to three days.
Selma said their offices and units within the region are currently accepting relief donations from residents, local government units and private entities.
Also known as Soccsksargen, Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
He said concerned residents and entities may coordinate with the DSWD-12’s standards office for the delivery of the donations.
Aside from the DSWD-12, several private organizations in the area have started gathering donations to assist the relief operations in areas affected by the typhoon. (MindaNews)