TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned 110,285 family food packs (FFPs) in strategic areas of Eastern Visayas primarily for the impacts of the prolonged dry season.
The stock of food supplies worth P127.58 million will ensure faster delivery of relief goods in case the effect of the drought is felt in five out of six provinces of Eastern Visayas, said DSWD regional information officer Jonalyndie Chua on Friday.
These FFPs are stored in warehouses in Allen and Biri towns in Northern Samar; Jipapad, Taft, and Guiuan in Eastern Samar; Almagro and Santo Niño in Samar; Sogod, Southern Leyte; and the DSWD regional resource operations center in Palo, Leyte.
Each FFP contains six kilos of rice, four cans of corned beef, four cans of tuna flakes, two cans of sardines, five sachets of coffee, and five sachets of cereal drinks.
The DSWD has also prepared 35,755 non-food items, such as kits for family, sleeping, hygiene, and the kitchen.
“We have to be prepared because, according to PAG-ASA’s forecast, in the later part of March, there is a possibility of a drought in the province of Leyte, a dry spell in Northern Samar, and dry conditions in Eastern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte,” Chua added.
An area is considered to be affected by drought if the rainfall conditions are way below normal for three consecutive months or more.
Earlier, the Department of Agriculture regional office here confirmed receiving reports of drying in some rice fields in Samar province.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)
