The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assures local government units (LGUs) that is has enough relief supplies to augment their resources for their constituents who are affected and will be affected by the drought prevailing in the country.

In North Cotabato, for instance, DSWD initially provided a total of P83,500 worth of relief assistance to the LGU of Alamada for the affected families in the town. Alamada is one of the five municipalities currently under the state of calamity because of the drought. The other municipalities are Aleosan, Kabacan, Pigkawayan, and Pikit.

Based on the latest report of the DSWD-Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB), a total of 71,909 families or 359,545 persons from the five municipalities are being affected by the drought.

The Department, through its Field Office XII, remains in close coordination with the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices (MSWDOs), Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (MDRRMOs) and the Provincial Local Government Office (PLGU) of North Cotabato to monitor the condition of the affected families and to extend other necessary forms of assistance as requested by concerned localities. ###