OFFICIALS of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD 7) assured that they have standby food and non-food items at their regional warehouse in case they are needed for deployment to Luzon to help those affected by the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck the island Wednesday, July 27, 2022.

Shalaine Marie Lucero, acting DSWD 7 director, said that while DSWD's National Resource Operations Center (NROC), their relief production hub in Pasay City, is currently supporting local government units in Luzon that were affected by the quake, the region's relief warehouses are ready to deploy additional food and non-food relief items if they are called for deployment.

DSWD currently has three warehouses in Tagbilaran City in Bohol, Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental and one in Cebu City.

According to DSWD 7's Preparedness for Response Report issued on Tuesday, July 26, the region currently has 24,688 standby family food packs amounting to more than P14 million.

As to non-food items, DSWD 7 currently has 2,385 hygiene kits, 2,906 family kits, 1,531 kitchen kits, 5,666 sleeping kits, 989 modular tents, 2,108 laminated sacks, 41 dignity kits, 20 mats and 15,062 malongs for sleeping.

The DSWD 7 also has P5 million worth of standby funds that can be used for any large-scale emergency.

"And if there is still a need, DSWD Field Office VII is ready to help," Lucero added. (JKV)