Employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Ilocos Region (DPWH-1) who were affected by calamities in the past few months have received food packs from the regional office, with the help of its counterparts from other regions.
This was in response to the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to government agencies to avoid lavish Christmas celebrations in solidarity with the thousands of Filipinos who suffered losses during the successive typhoons that hit the country.
In a statement on Thursday, DPWH-1 information officer Esperanza Tinaza said with the generous support of DPWH-Zamboanga Peninsula and DPWH-Northern Mindanao, a gift-giving program was organized to aid affected employees and communities.
The distribution was held in various district engineering offices starting Dec. 2.
In Ilocos Norte, each of the 51 employees of the 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) received 10 kilograms (kg) of rice and Christmas grocery packs while at the 2nd DEO, 15 employees were provided with 25 kilos of rice each, grocery items, bottled water, and meals, Tinaza said.
In La Union, 120 employees of the 1st DEO received 25 kilos of rice each and Christmas gift packs, while in the 2nd DEO, 171 residents of the area were given 25 kg of rice each and gift packs, she added.
At the Pangasinan 1st DEO, two employees received roofing sheets along with 12 kg of rice, while 10 employees of the 3rd DEO received one box of noodles and PHP2,000 in cash, Tinaza said.
In the Ilocos Sur 2nd DEO, 19 families received 25 kg of rice, pails with laundry detergents, coffee, biscuits, and Christmas gift packs, she said.
“Embodying this year’s theme, “2024 Paskong DPWH: Pagkakaisa at Bayanihan, Tunay na Diwa ng Kapaskuhan”, these donation drives reflect DPWH’s unwavering commitment in improving the lives of Filipinos, especially during times of crisis. This initiative goes beyond providing holiday cheer—it symbolizes hope, solidarity, and the true spirit of Christmas,” Tinaza said. (Hilda Austria)
(Source: Philippine News Agency)