Manila, April 15 -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday assured the public that all its disaster management and response teams from the Central Office and 16 field offices will be on standby for any incident that may require the agency's immediate assistance during the observance of this year's Holy Week or "Semana Santa."

"As directed by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, quick response teams of the Department will remain on standby the entire Holy Week, ready for deployment should any event necessitate their intervention," Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD's Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said in a statement.

"We want nothing but a peaceful observance of the Holy Week. But of course, di...