DSWD prepositions PHP315.96M relief items for Typhoon Pepito

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned PHP262.86 million worth of relief items in Eastern Visayas, Bicol, the Cordillera region, and now the Ilocos Region to prepare for Typhoon Pepito.

Additionally, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian reported to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that the agency maintains a national stockpile of 1.3 million family food packs (FFPs) and is enhancing its production capacity to meet the needs of areas affected by Pepito and previous storms.

The department plans to increase daily production of FFPs to 50,000 to 85,000 boxes to ensure adequate relief supplies, with a goal of producing an additional million FFPs by December 7.

DSWD-Ilocos has prepositioned PHP48.3 million worth of family food packs and PHP26.8 million worth of non-food items in regional and satellite offices across the four provinces of the Ilocos Region, including La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Pangasinan.

Local governments have declared suspensions of work and classes in anticipation of the typhoon; Eastern Samar Acting Governor Marica Sison-Goteesan suspended all classes and half-day work in her province, while Apayao is under a state of calamity following recent storms.