Naging matagumpay ang Ceremonial Handover ng Disaster Response Equipment mula sa World Food Programme (WFP) na inihandog sa Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office VIII (DSWD FO VIII) noong Nobyembre 8, 2023 kasabay sa paggunita ng ika-10 na annibersaryo ng Super Typhoon Yolanda.
Personal na dumalo si DSWD Undersecretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) Diane Rose Cajipe, DSWD Undersecretary for National Household and Targeting System (NHTS) and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Vilma B. Cabrera, DSWD FO VIII Regional Director Grace Q. Subong, WFP Emergency Coordinator Mr. Hannes Goegele, WFP Supply Chain Officer Mr. Joao Merencio, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director to the Philippines and Mongolia Mr. Ryan Washburn, USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance Officer Ms. Rachel Gallagher at Office of the Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Administration ASec. Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV.
Nakiisa rin ang ilan sa mga government at non-government agencies na dinaluhan nina National Telecommunications Commission Regional Director Willie Zaballa, Department of Information and Communications Technology Regional Director Felix Tabanao Jr., Office of the Civil Defense Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), at ilan sa mga local media agencies and organizations.
Nagbigay naman ng mensahe ang Provincial Governor ng Leyte, Hon. Carlos Jericho Petilla kung saan binigyang diin niya ang mga salitang “In every disaster, no man is an island; you always need somebody’s help.”
Samantala, ibinahagi rin ni WFP Country Director a.i Mr. Dipayan Bhattacharya ang librong pinamagatang “PREP kana ba?” na naglalaman ng 30 best practices ng mga Pilipino at nagbibigay diin ng mahalagang papel sa pagpapahusay, paghahanda at pagtugon sa mga kalamidad.
Ilan sa mga naging highlight ng nasabing turn-over ay ang signing of the deed of donation and acceptance sa pagitan ng WFP, USAID, at DSWD FO VIII at ang ceremonial handover ng mga disaster response equipments kagaya ng rice milling machine, reach truck, automatic box sealer machine, vacuum sealing machine, automatic roller conveyor, hydraulic hand pallet trucks, high volume, low speed ceiling fan, generator set (110kva), plastic pallets, tower light with genset, aluminum boat with 40 hp engine at trailer for aluminum boat na magagamit ng ahensya sa pagbibigay ng maagap na tulong sa bawat indibiduwal at pamilya sa oras ng anumang klase ng kalamidad.
Sa tulong ng mga naihandog na Disaster Response Equipment na ito, mas marami pang buhay ang maililigtas at mabibigyan ng pag-asa na mamuhay ng matiwasay.
