Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin Tulfo assured the public that the department is on alert and ready to provide technical assistance and resource augmentation to all local government units (LGUs) as Tropical Depression Rosal continues to maintain strength while moving north northeastward.

Tulfo has instructed all DSWD fielf offices (FOs) to prepare for any possible effects of the weather disturbance in response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to respond in a proactive manner to deliver assistance to the affected areas within 24 hours.

“Tinitingala tayo ng mga tao (People are relying on us) and we are expected to do our job. And our job is to respond to every calamity or disaster,” Tulfo said in a news release on Sunday.

During the Dec. 9 meeting, DWSD regional directors shared updates on their preparedness efforts, including available standby funds and stockpiles of food and non-food items, as well as the status of the prepositioning of goods in the different localities.

As of 6 p.m. Dec 10, the DSWD Central Office (CO), FOs and National Resource Operations Center (NROC) have stockpiles and standby funds amounting to more than PHP1.4 billion while more than 547,000 family food packs are available to augment the resources of the LGUs.

Meanwhile, the DSWD provided assistance to the stranded individuals at Port Pasacao in Camarines Sur. The four passengers bound for San Pascual Masbate were provided with family food packs by Field Office V.

Tulfo urged the public to remain vigilant and to follow the orders of their local officials to ensure their safety. (PNA)