As a result of the Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) meeting on Tropical Storm Karen which was  attended by member-agencies of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already issued a memorandum to its Field Offices along the storm’s path to ensure that the preparedness for response measures are in place, particularly over the weekend.

Based on PAGASA advisory, ‘Karen’ has gained strength and is expected to further intensify as it will make a landfall on Sunday.

The memorandum stressed that  Disaster Response Unit shall be on 24/7 operation to monitor actual weather condition;  Quick Response Teams (QRTs) are on standby and ready for deployment to disaster-  affected areas; availability of stockpile of Food and Non-Food Items ready for augmentation at any given time; Prepositioning of goods per Local Government Unit (LGU);  and,  Availability of vehicles and communication lines (satellite phones) for disaster response  operations.

The Central Office (CO), Field Offices (FOs) and National Resource Operations Center (NROC) have a total stockpile and standby funds amounting to ₱1,282,795,838.53 with breakdown as follows:

• ₱538,319,901.77 standby funds at the CO and FOs. Of the said amount, ₱494,988,175.00 is the available Quick Response Fund at the CO;
• 472,132 Family Food Packs (FFPs) amounting to ₱170,612,527.46 and available Food and Non-Food Items (FNFIs) amounting to ₱573,863,409.30.

DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo reiterated her call for the public to be on alert and to heed announcements of authorities for their own safety. ###