DSWD urges LGUs to have own storehouses

CEBU, Philippines — While the sun is still out, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) urges local government units far from Metro Cebu to work on building or allotting storehouses where disaster assistance items can be placed.

Sheba Dabon, focal person on Disaster Response and Assistance Management Unit of DSWD-7, said there are only a few LGUs in the region that have storage units.

This is the reason the agency is scouting more towns and cities that are open for the proposal.

“We want to encourage more LGU’s to have their own storehouses. DSWD7 prepositions items at 22 storehouses only scattered in different areas in the region. We are campaigning now that more officials will be partnering with us,” she told The FREEMAN.

There are at least 22 DSWD-aided storehouses in Central Visayas, eight of which are in Cebu province. Seven storehouses are in Bohol; six in Negros Oriental; and one in Siquijor.

Once LGUs need assistance, Dabon said DSWD regional offices can provide augmentation.

Although LGUs serve as frontliners during disasters, she said there are instances when LGUs can request for any needed item especially when theirs are depleting due to the severity of the impact of the calamity.

But in terms of prepositioning of goods, DSWD-7 and the LGU have to enter and sign a memorandum of agreement, said Dabon.

In the contract, the LGU is obliged to guard the goods inside the storage; ensure that the goods are safe from rodents or insects; and place goods in safer grounds, among others.

She said the agency focuses now on disaster preparedness and intends for LGUs to be ready at all times to respond directly.

Dabon said prepositioning of calamity assistance items is needed to provide swift assistance to affected residents in case a disaster strikes.

If LGUs far from Cebu City and Mandaue City have their own storehouses, theyno longer need to travel during calamities.

Dabon said response may be delayed since travel takes time and transport of items may even come late if roads are blocked from fallen trees or pavements are cracked.

She added response on food distribution can be faster if items are already stored at the LGU than wait for these items to be transported from DSWD warehouses in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue.

The main storage warehouse of DSWD-7 is situated in Labangon, Cebu City and it houses non-food items like hygiene kit, cooking kit and sleeping kit.

Food packs are stored at the Visayas Disaster Response Center in Mandaue City.

Dabon said some LGU’s for now are still identifying an area or structure where it can serve as storage unit while others have already signified interest to partner with the agency like the municipalities of Dumanjug and Alcoy in Cebu province.

“These LGUs may have already realized the importance of providing speedy response since basic necessities like food are very important,” she said. (FREEMAN)