A Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official on Monday reported that its field offices along the path of Tropical Storm Ramil have already extended over PHP5.4 million worth of initial assistance to individuals and families affected by the weather disturbance.

In a statement, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the agency continues to extend the necessary assistance to the storm victims.

“Patuloy ang pamamahagi ng DSWD sa mga naapektuhan ng Bagyong Ramil lalo na sa Western Visayas kung saan malaki ang naging pinsala. Kasama sa ibinahaging tulong ng ahensya ay ang mga boxes of family food packs (FFPs) sa mga naapektuhang pamilya at mga ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes para sa mga locally stranded individuals sa mga pantalan (The DSWD continues to distribute aid to those affected by Ramil, especially in Western Visayas where the devastation was great. Included in the assistance are boxes of FFPs for the affected families, as well as RTEF boxes for the locally stranded individuals in ports),” the DSWD spokesperson.

The biggest chunk of assistance, she said, was distributed to Western Visayas with over PHP3 million worth of food and non-food items (FNFIs), followed by Central Luzon with over PHP1.1 million, and over PHP1 million worth of aid for affected families in Bicol Region.

She said the DSWD continues to coordinate with the local government units (LGUs) concerned to ensure the welfare and safety of the internally displaced persons who are staying at the evacuation centers, as well as families staying with their friends or relatives.

Some 3,778 families or 12,550 persons are currently taking temporary shelter in 237 evacuation centers in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol Region and Western Visayas, while some 2,719 families or 9,962 individuals are temporarily staying with their relatives or friends.

“Sa ating mga kababayan, kahit sabay-sabay po ang mga disaster response operations ng DSWD, makakasiguro po kayo na sustained ang pagtulong ng DSWD sa mga naapektuhan ng Bagyong Ramil (To our countrymen, even with the simultaneous disaster response operations of the DSWD, we assure sustained assistance to those affected by Ramil),” Dumlao said. (PNA)