Two months since Odette left a swathe of destruction that affected more than 11 million people in 11 regions, WFP has so far mobilized 501 trucks and transported more than half a million family food packs from DSWD’s packing facilities (National Resource Operations Centre in Metro Manila and Visayas Disaster Response Centre in Cebu).
In addition to delivering food and non-food items for the Government, WFP has begun implementation of its own food distributions in early February using a contribution from USAID and the Government of Japan. WFP has procured locally grown rice which enabled cost-efficiency and proximity to delivery areas. WFP has procured and delivered 1,155 metric tonnes of rice to Caraga for food distributions in Dinagat Islands and Siargao Island.
Through the support and generosity of the governments of Australia, Japan, and United States, WFP has established three emergency logistics hubs in Surigao City, Siargao Island, and Dinagat Islands. Each hub is comprised of one MSU, one generator, and one prefabricated office. The generators and prefabricated offices were preexisting equipment prepositioned at WFP’s warehouse in Polloc in Maguindanao, hence were readily available to support operations in response to government requests.
