The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced on Sunday that all its field offices across the country are now on full alert status as part of its disaster preparedness measures for Tropical Storm Tino.
In a statement, the agency said it has strengthened its disaster supply chain system under the Bagong Bansa Handa (BBH) Program, ensuring that food and non-food relief items are prepositioned in warehouses nationwide even before the storm makes landfall.
According to DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, who heads the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), the department is currently implementing a dual supply chain system to guarantee efficient and uninterrupted operations during emergencies.
“Ang first system ay government-led kung saan mas pinalakas namin ang production at stockpiling ng family food packs. Nagdagdag tayo ng mga bodega at gumagamit din tayo ng warehouses ng LGUs through preposition agreements,” Dumlao said.
She added that the second mechanism focuses on building partnerships with private suppliers and distributors to complement government resources.
Through the mechanized and manual packing systems at the Luzon and Visayas Disaster Resource Centers, the DSWD can now produce between 18,000 to 20,000 family food packs per day, allowing faster replenishment and deployment of relief goods to local government units (LGUs).
Dumlao emphasized that this expanded capacity ensures the department can remain “present anywhere, anytime,” particularly during simultaneous or large-scale disasters.
To further strengthen its emergency response, the DSWD said it is ready to mobilize its specialized disaster equipment, including mobile command centers, mobile kitchens, water trucks, and water treatment units, to assist evacuees and provide access to clean drinking water in affected areas.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Tropical Storm Tino—the 20th tropical cyclone to hit the country this year—entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 5:30 a.m. Sunday.
As of Sunday morning, the DSWD reported a total of 558,098 family food packs (FFPs) prepositioned across its warehouses nationwide. These include 122,884 FFPs in Mimaropa, 89,566 in Western Visayas (Region 6), 70,799 in the Negros Island Region (NIR), 71,539 in Central Visayas (Region 7), 121,331 in Eastern Visayas (Region 8), and 81,989 food boxes in CARAGA.
The agency said it continues to coordinate with local government units and regional disaster councils to ensure swift distribution of aid once Tino begins affecting communities.