Photo credit: PCO

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted the government’s push for faster, more efficient disaster response as he visited the newly upgraded Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City on Thursday. The facility, he said, now gives the national government the ability to directly produce and distribute food packs on a scale never before possible.

The VDRC’s ₱117-million upgrade introduced a new Mechanized Production System (MPS) capable of producing up to 30,000 family food packs (FFPs) per eight-hour shift—three times more than before. Marcos underscored that this level of production allows the government to reach communities in the Visayas and Mindanao faster, especially during large-scale calamities.

“Ito ang unang panahon na ang national government ay nagbibigay nitong klaseng food pack. Noong nakaraan, eh kung saan-saan na lang kumukuha ‘yung mga biktima. Pero ngayon, nakakapag-provide na ang national government. Kaya maganda itong naging facility natin,” the President said after inspecting the upgraded hub.

According to Marcos, the five new production lines were designed specifically for the Philippines, aiming to speed up food pack assembly while ensuring better quality. The machine-operated vacuum sealing system extends the shelf life of food packs, making them suitable for long-term storage and prepositioning in disaster-prone areas.

He noted that VDRC currently has 4 million food packs in storage and plans to exceed 5 million as production continues. Food packs nearing expiration are being distributed for free to communities in need to prevent waste while supporting ongoing relief efforts.

Marcos added that the facility is already supporting response operations for fire incidents and areas affected by volcanic activity, demonstrating how the enhanced system allows for quicker mobilization of assistance.

The upgrade aligns with Marcos’ directive to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to ensure immediate delivery of aid to disaster-hit families. With the expanded production capacity, authorities expect faster deployment of assistance to remote and vulnerable communities.

The Visayas hub also complements the Luzon Disaster Resource Center in Pasay City, while Mindanao currently operates a temporary hub. Marcos announced plans to construct a permanent Mindanao Disaster Resource Center in Butuan City to complete the nationwide network.

To further boost disaster response, the government also mobilizes 17 mobile kitchens for hot meals in evacuation centers and 16 mobile command centers to support coordination on the ground. VDRC programs include Emergency Cash Transfer and Cash-for-Work assistance aimed at low-income earners and displaced families.

The VDRC upgrade, funded through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, was completed in July 2025. During his visit, the President toured the raw material storage, food pack warehouse, and production facilities—both manual and mechanized—and witnessed the loading of food packs bound for DSWD field offices in Iloilo City and Butuan City.