DSWD-7 Gives 186,000 Food Packs To El Nino-affected Families In Central Visayas

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7 has distributed a total of 186,498 food packs worth PHP66.11 million to the families affected by the El Niño phenomenon in Central Visayas.

DSWD Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman said that of this number, 126,450 food packs were distributed so far in Cebu, which has been declared under a state of calamity.

Soliman said the DSWD also distributed 60,048 food packs to Bohol, which was also placed under a state of calamity.

Soliman was in Cebu Wednesday to lead the inauguration of the Visayas Disaster Response Center (VDRC) at the Pacific Traders Compound in Barangay Casuntingan, Mandaue City.

Soliman said the DSWD spent almost PHP2 billion from its quick response fund and climate change adaptation and mitigation fund since October 2015 up to the present for El Niño-hit areas.

She said the DSWD has an exemption from the ban imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the distribution of relief goods during the election period.

“Although a city or municipality has declared their area under a state of calamity, the mayor, especially the candidates are not allowed to distribute relief goods,” she said.

Section 261 of the Ominibus Election Code only allows thedistribution of calamity assistance through the Philippine National Red Cross and DSWD.

Soliman said they go to the city or municipal social welfare and development offices, and together with a DSWD personnel, civil society organization or faith-based organization, they distribute the goods directly to the barangays.

She said the DSWD also cannot accept the calamity fund from a city or municipality if they wish to course it to the DSWD for their El Niño-hit constituents because the agency still has funds. (PNA) FFC/EB/PJN