During the activity, three identified affected families received cash assistance from DSWD Field Office Caraga, along with food items from the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) Office of Butuan. This initiative aims to support the families in rebuilding their homes and restoring their sources of livelihood.

In addition, several national and local government agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), City Agriculture and Veterinary Department, City Employment Services Department (CESD), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), actively participated by extending programs and services to further assist the affected families.

“The thrust and priority of DSWD at present is not only to strengthen the prepositioning of family food packs in regional offices but also across clusters. We already have warehouses in Luzon and the Visayas, and now in Mindanao. Based on our experience during Typhoon Yolanda, Caraga has been identified as a strategic location for the Mindanao warehouse, and this is it now, the MDRC,” emphasized Ramel Jamen, Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Field Office Special Programs.

Meanwhile, Engr. Jigg Pelayo, Section Head of the City’s Special Project Management Section, shared that the site development phase, particularly landfilling, is expected to commence next week, to be followed by the groundbreaking ceremony.

Once established, the MDRC will serve as the primary disaster response and logistics hub in Mindanao, ensuring faster mobilization of relief goods, strengthened disaster preparedness, and a more efficient and coordinated response to emergencies across Mindanao.