Australia gives P104 million to DSWD for disaster preparedness

MANILA, Philippines – The Australian Government and the Philippine Government have once again partnered to strengthen the disaster and emergency response capacity of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in the form of a P104 million (AUD3 million) grant under a 3-year Support Program for Disaster Response.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman and Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell led the groundbreaking ceremony at the DSWD National Resource Operations Center in Pasay City on December 3.

Speaking at the launch, Ambassador Tweddell said, “The Australian Government is committed to support the Philippines in building its resilience through preparedness to respond, and stand ready to support the Philippines and the Filipino people in times of disasters and emergencies.” 

The DSWD Secretary is Vice-Chair for Response of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), and the DSWD is lead agency of the Food and Non-Food Cluster, Camp Coordination and Camp Management, and Protection Clusters under the humanitarian cluster system of the NDRRMC.

The Support Program for Disaster Response has capacity-building, warehouse construction, and emergency relief supplies prepositioning components. As part of this effort, Australia also deployed an Australian Civilian Corps Adviser on Disaster Response Systems to assist in strengthening the disaster response framework and strategies of DSWD.

Australia is supporting the upgrading of the DSWD National Resource Operations Center, and the construction of a new warehouse. On its completion, the storage capacity of this facility will increase from 30,000 to 100,000 family food packs. 

The facility provides safe storage for emergency relief supplies, like tents, laminated sacks, family kits, and toys for children, as well as vital non-food items, such as blankets, cooking implements, and mosquito nets.

These supplies are prepositioned in the National Resource Operation Center in Pasay City, and the different regional offices of DSWD. Some 400,000 individuals, or 78,000 families, including 36,000 children, will benefit from these humanitarian relief items.

“This partnership between Australia and DSWD is very timely and appropriate as we prepare to respond to the new normal of having stronger typhoons, long spells of droughts and earthquakes. I am grateful to the Australian government for its long-standing engagement which started in social protection and now includes collaboration in ensuring preparedness in responding to the needs of disaster affected populations and communities,” said DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman. – Rappler.com