Davao del Sur: The Provincial Government of Davao del Sur has allocated a ₱49.8 million budget for the second wave of relief assistance to cover more families who are mostly affected by the economic impact of the enforcement of a general community quarantine due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Geraldine Lano said the LGU is set to run the second round of distribution of food packs in the entire province starting May 11 up to May 28.
With the bigger allocation now for the welfare goods from the quick response fund, Lano assured that more families will be reached out by the relief operations, especially those who were not given on the first round.
“Dako na ang scope sa mahatagan, katong wala nahatagan sa first wave, ang mga families nga naghulat sa atong assistance (There will be bigger scope of those who will be given, those who were not included in the first wave, those families waiting for our assistance),” Lano said during Thursday’s virtual presser of the Philippine Information Agency Davao del Sur.
She bared that a total of 51,356 families have been provided with food packs during the first round of distribution which covered 232 barangays from Digos City and from the nine municipalities in the province.
Each food pack valued at ₱500, consisted of five (5) kilos of rice, 10 canned goods, and a pack of bihon (rice noodle). Later in the distribution, the food packs also included dressed chickens.
“We have prioritized those affected who were not included in the relief assistance of their respective barangays and municipalities. We have coordinated with the LGUs,” Lano stated in the vernacular.
She said that Governor Douglas Cagas has instructed that all severely affected families in the entire province must be served.
Lano disclosed that the provincial LGU has appropriated ₱24.5 million fund for the first wave to benefit about 49,000 families, but because of the previously stocked goods, more than 50,000 families have been served province-wide.
The LGU has sacrificed funds for some projects on the pipeline this year, just to provide for the needy families during the current health crisis, Lano stated.
She mentioned that 14 teams have been created composing of personnel from the PSWDO, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, and volunteers, to expedite the distribution of the food packs.
Though the teams have experienced some unpleasant encounters during the house-to-house delivery in the communities, Lano assured that the distribution of food packs generally went smoothly and no untoward incident took place.
“Never mind the issues. The most important thing was that we’re able to give out to the needy.”
She also assured that the teams have maintained protocols such as social distancing and wearing of face masks during the food distribution.
Lano urged the residents of the province to continue to cooperate with the local government, and to be vigilant in this time of crisis. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)