DSWD requests additional ₱662-M aid
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has requested an additional ₱662-million budget from the Department of
Budget and Management (DBM) to replenish its depleting quick response fund (QRF) to assist people in the areas hit by tropical storm "Ambo" as well as those that remain under lockdown.
DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said they made the funding request to the DBM to be able to fully assist the local government units (LGUs) affected by “Ambo” and augment relief support to areas still under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
"QRF is a stand-by fund used to cover relief and rehabilitation in cases of disasters and calamities," she said.
"We requested DBM for the replenishment of quick response fund in the amount of ₱662 million," she told reporters in a Viber message. "It is a standard practice to replenish QRF. We request when fund is half depleted."
In a radio interview, the DSWD official noted that the DBM has ₱662 million in QRF funds, and explained that QRF is separate from the funds allocated for the implementation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
In the Laging Handa briefing on Saturday, Dumlao assured the public that it has standby funds and stockpiles to provide relief assistance to areas hit by tropical storm “Ambo.”
"Ang DSWD sa kasalukuyan ay mayroon tayong standby funds na mahigit ₱239 million, ₱199 million of that ay magagamit po as quick response funds," (At present, the DSWD has standby funds amounting to more than ₱239 million, ₱199 million of that can be used as quick response funds), Dumlao said.
Of the ₱239.36 million stand-by funds, ₱199.91 million is the Central Office's available QRF, while the available funds at the field offices amounted to ₱39.44 million, according to the DSWD-Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) report as of 6 a.m. Saturday, May 16.
Dumlao also said they have 391,600 family food packs (FFPs) worth ₱176 million that are ready for distribution, and non-food items (FNIs) amounting to more ₱483 million.
"This will be used as augmentation support to our local government units to enable them to respond to the needs of their constituents," she said.
She said the FFPs have been delivered to Regions V (Bicol) and VIII (Eastern Visayas).
Based on the DROMIC report, 823,502 FFPs worth ₱345.75 million have been distributed nationwide, with Region V receiving 77,724 FFPs and Region VIII 7,613.
Dumlao said the agency is also coordinating with the Office of Civil Defense for the immediate transportation of relief good to the affected areas.
"Nakikipagtulungan tayo sa ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan, particular sa Office of Civil Defense, para naman po sa provision ng naval assets para makapagpahatid tayo ng karagdagang family food packs sa iba pa pong lugar na naapektuhan ng bagyong Ambo," (We are cooperating with other government agencies, particularly with the Office of Civil Defense, for the provision of naval assets so we can deliver additional family food packs to other areas affected by typhoon Ambo), Dumlao said.