The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII through its Disaster Response and Management Division (DRMD) has created a skeletal force to monitor the activities of the Sinulog Festival for DSWD to respond and to help during emergency situations, especially in time of the solemn foot procession on January 19, 2019 Saturday and in the grand parade on January 20, 2019 Sunday.

The Department will also house those children who might get separated from their guardians amidst their participation in the solemn foot procession and grand parade.

“We encourage those who will participate in the solemn procession and the Sinulog grand parade to be vigilant all the time and to be attentive to their children that they will be bringing along with them. I encourage the parents or guardians to let their children wear identification cards with contact information for easy identification in case of emergency. They may also write in a piece of paper their contact information and put it inside the pockets of their children’s clothes,” Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Section (DRRS) Focal Ms. Sheba S. Dabon said.

The DSWD-7 will also coordinate with the Local Government Unit (LGU), Philippine National Police (PNP) and other agencies should there be emerging concerns throughout the Sinulog Festival celebration.

In case of emergency or disaster, the Department is also prepared to provide logistic support like family food packs and non-food items to affected families or individuals. ###

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