While the search and rescue operation continues in the earthquake devastated areas in Bohol, Social Workers and other service providers from the Department of Social welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Visayas activated and put under ‘Red Alert’ status its Quick Response Teams (QRT) as it readies its augmentation support in a form of family packs.

These goods will be initially distributed to the earthquake victims in the affected towns in Bohol heavily damaged by the killer quake last Tuesday with a magnitude of 7.2, the strongest recorded in Central Visayas in 90 years, struck Carmen, Bohol yesterday morning.

As of 5:00 pm today, the number of affected Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) rose to 32,954 with 8 additional Evacuation Centers (ECs) reported. Cebu has now 21 Evacuation Centers (EC) to include the latest 4 ECs in the town of Minglanilla while Bohol has added 4 more ECs to make 38 from its 34 centers reported this morning. The town of Inabanga in Bohol has reported 3 ECs while Guinduilman has one newly opened.

QRT Team- 2 Leader, Grace Yana , said the Department is encouraging the public to donate clothing, blankets, mats, mosquito nets, slippers, toiletress, kitchen and cooking utensils other than food and water.

Social Workers both from the Local Government Units (LGUs) and the DSWD-7 conducted initial defusing sessions to a few survivors in the different evacuation centers set up for the purpose.

DSWD Regional Director Mercedita Jabagat has instructed its staff to go on 24-hour duty round the clock since yesterday and will be fielding trained stress debriefers to conduct psycho-social interventions to grieving families.

Jabagat said, “We are now keeping touch with all our local counterparts who had been trained on Family and Community Disaster Preparedness and Response with emphasis on Relief Operation and Camp Management and Coordination as well as Psycho-Social Processing (PSP) late last year to generate updates for provision of augmentation, technical assistance and support especially on relief and rehabilitation works”.

A Donation Desk is now put up by the DSWD, Field Office-7 lobby along M.J. Cuenco Ave. and Gen. Maxilum Sts., Cebu City. One may call the DSWD Earthquake Hotline 2329507 for more inquiries. (PR-jaybee binghay)

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