Davao City: Davao City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community has completed the distribution of around 4,315 sacks of rice to the barangays.
The LGBT has been involved in the city’s response to the Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) pandemic since the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
Mayor Inday Sara Duterte lauded the accomplishment of the LGBT and their contribution to the Davao City’s Covid-19 response by helping in the rice distribution.
“They deserve a round of applause because nahuman na nila (they finally completed),” Mayor Sara said.
She added that there are also members of the LGBT affected by Covid-19 pandemic, yet, made efforts to help the city government.
“Thank you, daghang salamat gyud kaayo. Kahibalo mi daghan pud sa atoang mga members sa LGBT community na apektado sa Covid-19 pero nitabang gihapon sila’g tabang og laing tao (Thank you very much. We know a lot of members from the LGBT community are also affected by Covid-19, but they still helped in helping others),” Mayor Sara said.
The LGBT community was tapped in the city’s Covid-19 as a non-political structure group to find those in need but were not reached by barangay officials.
Mayor Sara chose the LGBT community as the best to understand inclusivity with a reminder not to favor their sector alone.
“We needed to do this tungod atong mga wala’y salig, ‘no, sa political structure sa barangay, or maybe na miss-out sila sa barangay so kinahanglan nato mangita og isa pa ka structure na mutabang pagpangita sa mga nanginahanglan og rice (We needed to do this for those who are skeptical of the political structure or those who were missed- out by barangay officials. We needed to find another structure to help find those who need rice assistance),” she said.
A total of 4,315 sacks of rice were distributed to 181 out of 182 barangays in the City. One barangay refused to receive the ration, so their share was added to other barangays.
Rice distribution is one of the food programs in the city. The other programs are the food ration by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO); fresh goods distribution by the City Agriculturist Office and City Veterinarians Office; hot meals ‘lomi‘ and ‘lugaw’ by the Barangay Cultural and Community Affairs Division (BCCAD); and the Quick Response Ration (QRC) repacked by the City Mayor’s Office (CMO). CIO