Davao City: The Davao City government is readying 50,000 packages of farm products for distribution to residents who were not able to receive the regular food rations in the past weeks.
The agri-food packs were initially given on top of the regular relief goods distributed by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) but Mayor Inday Sara Duterte decided to prioritize others who did not receive rations in order to maximize all possible beneficiaries.
“Tanan man nawalaan og trabaho, tanan man nawalaan og kita sa negosyo, tanan ta apektado. Basta ang atoang paningkamotan gyud is mahatagan og pagkaon tanan that will take them through the ECQ and hopefully until April 30 (All have lost their jobs, lost income from their business, all have been affected. We are aiming to give food to everyone that will take them through the ECQ and hopefully until April 30),” the mayor said.
Mayor Sara said the city will be distributing agri food cards like the ration cards, to residents who are indigents, out-of-work head of a family; a contractual/no work, no pay and out-of-work head of a family; a self-employed and out-of-work head of the family; and, a low-income head of a family with significant loss or reduction of income because of quarantine measures to slow down the spread of Covid-19. The targeted beneficiaries will be identified by the barangay captains.
Each agri-food pack contains one kilo of fresh vegetables, one kilo of fish, one kilo of pork or chicken, one tray of eggs and two liters of dairy milk, all bought by the city government from Davao City farmers under its Buyback Repack and Distribute program.
“This is our way also of helping our local farmers since they are also affected by the Covid-19,” City Veterinarian Dr. Cerelyn Pinili said.
The buyback strategy is designed to help both upland small farmers and families living in urban areas whose sources of income were affected by the quarantine measures implemented in Davao City. CIO
