The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga Field Office augments today 15 staff to eighteen (18) municipalities in Southern Leyte affected by super typhoon Yolanda to conduct rapid damage and needs assessment in order to provide all possible support.

The staff will be divided into three (3) teams; each team is composed of one (1) team leader, three (3) members and one (1) driver. From November 11-13, 2013, the teams will assess what are the immediate relief needs of the victims and the road conditions. After the teams’ assessment of the extent of the damage brought by super typhoon Yolanda, the teams will communicate with the Relief Operation Center located in Surigao City in order to immediately send out relief goods to the concerned areas.

The eighteen (18) municipalities in Southern Leyte that will be assessed are the following; Maasin City, Macrahon, Padre Burgos,                Malitbog, Tomas Oppus, Bontoc, Sogod, Libagon, Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, San Ricardo, Silago, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Anahawan, San Juan and St. Bernard.

DSWD Caraga has 5,000 family packs ready for distribution to Southern Leyte, while DSWD volunteers are now preparing additional 50,000 family packs. Each family pack contains six (6) kilos of rice, six (6) pieces noodles, six (6) assorted canned goods and six (6) pieces of coffee. DSWD will directly distribute the relief goods to the affected municipalities.

The Field Office is also accepting food and non-food donations. Groups or individuals can drop their donations at DSWD Field Office Caraga, Pili Drive Butuan City. ### (Stella Maris V. Barcelon/DSWD Caraga)