12/10/2026
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ: ๐๐ฆ๐ช๐ ๐๐ข ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐
๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ช๐๐ฃ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐ธ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ธ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐๐จ๐
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VIII strengthened its disaster preparedness and response capacity with the inauguration of its Regional Resource Operations Center (RROC) warehouse extension and the handover of World Food Programme (WFP) Community Kitchen Kits to three local government units (LGUs) in Eastern Samar on October 12, 2026, in Barangay 71, Naga-Naga, Tacloban City.
The 1,200-square-meter warehouse extension has a storage capacity of 50,000 family food boxes (FFBs), with 50,000 FFBs currently in stock and ready for deployment to disaster-affected communities. The expanded storage facility is expected to support the strategic prepositioning of relief supplies and facilitate the timely augmentation of assistance to LGUs during emergencies.
Alongside the inauguration, Community Kitchen Kits from WFP were handed over to the municipal governments of Balangiga, Giporlos, and Lawaan in Eastern Samar. The kits aim to strengthen the capacity of LGUs to prepare and serve hot, nutritious meals to families affected by disasters, particularly those staying in evacuation centers.
โThe Municipal Government of Balangiga is fortunate to have received this community kitchen to better help the people of Balangiga, so I thank WFP and DSWD for this,โ said Atty. Dana Flynch R. De Lira, Local Chief Executive of Balangiga, in her statement of acceptance.
The three recipient LGUs were among the 13 local government units identified as most vulnerable to disasters and requiring additional support to strengthen their emergency response and food assistance capabilities.
Meanwhile, WFP Program Associate Ms. Arlene Robles underscored the importance of sustained collaboration with DSWD in strengthening community preparedness and ensuring that disaster-affected families have access to essential assistance.
Assistant Regional Director for Operations Dir. Artemio E. Bautista led the two activities, together with members of the DSWD FO VIII Management Committee, personnel of the Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD), and Angels in Red Vests from other offices.
These initiatives reflect the agency's continuing commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness, expanding relief prepositioning capacity, and working with humanitarian partners and LGUs to ensure the timely and responsive delivery of assistance to communities affected by emergencies.
