ILOILO CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 6 has prepared ₱178.27 million in standby funds and relief supplies to protect Western Visayas communities from the anticipated impacts of El Niño, La Niña, and the rainy season. The readiness report was presented during a virtual meeting on June 4, 2026, convened by the Disaster Response Management Group. For vulnerable families, this advance preparation means help will arrive faster when disasters strike.
DSWD 6 Assistant Regional Director for Operations Katherine Joy Lamprea and DRMD Division Chief Luna Moscoso represented the region under the leadership of Regional Director Joselito Estember. The agency has prepositioned 187,450 Family Food Packs worth ₱113.26 million across strategic locations. Additionally, 34,812 ready‑to‑eat food items valued at ₱29.29 million stand ready. Non‑food supplies worth ₱32.72 million—including family kits, hygiene kits, sleeping kits, kitchen kits, modular tents, and laminated sacks—are also prepositioned, along with ₱3 million in standby funds.
Prepositioned Aid for Rapid Response
To ensure rapid deployment, these resources have been strategically placed at the regional warehouse and 74 local prepositioned sites throughout Western Visayas. The field office has also strengthened camp coordination through continuous evacuation center monitoring and capability‑building for local government units. Child‑friendly and women‑friendly space kits have been distributed to priority LGUs.
Beyond immediate relief, DSWD 6 continues implementing Project Lawa (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and Project Binhi (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished). These programs directly improve climate resilience and food security. The agency allocated ₱71.05 million for these projects, benefiting 6,925 partner beneficiaries across 24 cities and municipalities in Antique, Iloilo, Capiz, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental.
Iloilo Communities Among Key Beneficiaries
In Iloilo province, eight localities are direct beneficiaries of these proactive interventions: Ajuy, Batad, Estancia, Lemery, Miag‑ao, Passi City, San Dionisio, and Tubungan. These communities will receive support through water access systems and agricultural productivity improvements. The projects help build resilience against climate‑related risks long before disasters occur.
The Regional, Provincial, City, and Municipal Quick Response Teams remain on standby and ready for deployment. Available response assets, including a Mobile Command Center and Mobile Kitchen, are prepared for immediate use. The June 4 meeting reinforced DSWD's commitment to protecting vulnerable communities and ensuring that assistance reaches affected families promptly when emergencies arise.
