BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN
CEBU CITY, August 30 (PIA) – Over 300,000 Yolanda-affected families in the 16 hardest-hit localities in north Cebu benefitted from the distribution of food packs given by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) since last year in the aftermath of the typhoon.
DSWD-7 Disaster Focal Person Artemia Degamo said under its Food Assistance Program, they distributed the food packs in three rounds. The food packs consist of rice, canned goods, noodles among others, said Degamo during the Post-Yolanda Press Briefing: Rehabilitation and Rebuilding Phase held at the Public Information Office of the AFP-Central Command yesterday.
The first round, just immediately after the typhoon, benefitted 117,975 families with a total cost of P39.493 million. The second round of food packs was distributed this year to 136,604 recipients with total worth of P45.625 million, bared Degamo.
“The third round is ongoing but so far, we have distributed the food packs to 69,147 families worth P82.976 million,” said Degamo.
Degamo said the remaining areas that are still for distribution are the City of Bogo and the towns of Pilar and Madridejos. “Bogo City has 11,000 beneficiaries and 2,340 for Pilar and around 2,000 in Madridejos,” claimed the DSWD-7 disaster point person.
According to Degamo, DSWD-7 will continue to provide food packs for affected families who have not fully recovered yet based on the request of the local government unit concerned.
Meanwhile, Rosario Bacong, coordinator of the DSWD-7 Food and Non-Food Cluster said the last foreign relief donation that arrived in the port of Cebu just this month came from Japan’s Triumph International which consisted of underwear.
“Another shipment from Thailand consisting of food and non-food items has arrived but is still under process,” said Bacong.
Cebu on the other hand, remains to be the relief operations hub of foreign donations for Region 8, said Bacong. (mbcn/fcr/PIA-7)