The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed a total of PHP2.89 million in relief assistance to families affected by heavy rains across Mindanao, brought about by the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), the agency confirmed on Sunday.
DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a news release that efforts to deliver immediate relief are being carried out in coordination with local government units (LGUs), following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
From May 15 to 18, persistent rainfall linked to the ITCZ affected communities in five regions: Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), Region 11 (Davao Region), Region 12 (Soccsksargen), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
According to Dumlao, DSWD Field Offices (FOs) in the affected regions have been placed on high alert to ensure the swift delivery of family food packs (FFPs) and other essential non-food items to disaster-stricken families.
On Saturday, DSWD FO-Soccsksargen distributed food packs to 376 families in flood-hit Barangay Poblacion, located in the municipality of Carmen, Cotabato.
One of the recipients, Edna, a 40-year-old resident, expressed her gratitude to the agency for its prompt response.
Meanwhile, DSWD FO-Zamboanga Peninsula also deployed relief supplies to various barangays in Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur, which were affected by flash floods and landslides.
Dumlao reported that 1,315 boxes of family food packs had been delivered to residents in Kumalarang and Bacungan—one of the hardest-hit municipalities in Zamboanga del Norte.
She added that the DSWD remains in close coordination with LGUs to respond to any additional requests for resource augmentation.
Currently, DSWD Field Offices across Mindanao maintain PHP12 million in standby funds and a stockpile of 419,645 family food packs, ready to support ongoing disaster response efforts.
