The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided augmentation support to local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental to help them respond to the needs of their constituents affected by massive flooding brought by two different frontal systems in the province.

On December 31, 2020, a low pressure area (LPA) and the tail-end of a frontal system brought heavy and prolonged rainfall over Visayas resulting to massive flooding particularly in 54 barangays in the province of Negros Occidental.

As of January 6, more than P1.5 million worth of assistance was provided by DSWD, concerned LGUs and private partners to immediately address the needs of affected families.

Meanwhile, on January 8, a flooding incident brought by another tail-end of a frontal system occurred in low-lying areas of Silay City, Victorias City, Sagay City, Cadiz City and E.B. Magalona also in Negros Occidental. To date, the Department, through its Field Office VI, has provided initial 390 family food packs  to the city government of Silay for the affected locals.

Based on the January 10 report of the DSWD Disaster Response and Management Bureau, some 7,640 families or 37,830 persons from 48 barangays in the province have been affected by the latest flooding incident.

The DSWD-Field Office VI is consistently coordinating with all affected LGUs, which are the first responders during disasters and calamities, for the needed resource augmentation. The provision of resource augmentation is part of the mandate of DSWD as chair of the Food and Non-Food Items Cluster of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

DSWD assures the public that it has sufficient relief supplies to aid the affected population. Currently, the Department maintains stockpiles and standby funds amounting to more than P727 million. Of which, more than P121 million standby funds is available in the Central Office and DSWD field offices. In addition, there are also 160,256 FFPs prepositioned in strategic areas around the country. ###