The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed 10,616 family food packs (FFPs) to households in farming communities severely affected by the El Niño-induced dry spell in Samar Island.
DSWD Eastern Visayas Regional Director Grace Subong said Tuesday that the food boxes, worth PHP5.8 million, were distributed between October and early November this year to families in three Samar provinces following requests from their local government units (LGUs).
“Not all affected LGUs have requested FFPs because most local officials have used their quick response funds to assist farmers and their families. The FFPs are intended to augment the efforts of local governments in supporting farming families experiencing the effects of prolonged dry conditions,” Subong said in a phone interview.
The beneficiaries are from the towns of Jipapad and San Policarpo in Eastern Samar; Lavezares and Lope de Vega in Northern Samar; and Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Sto. Niño and Tarangnan in Samar province.
Each FFP is designed to provide food for a family of five for two to three days. It contains six kilograms of rice, canned goods, coffee and powdered chocolate drink, among other staple food items that require cooking.
Citing reports from municipal social welfare and development offices across the region, Subong said the dry spell has affected 23,111 families in Eastern Visayas.
Other affected areas include Hernani and Salcedo in Eastern Samar; Dagami, Barugo, Palo and Sta. Fe in Leyte; Victoria, Bobon and San Roque in Northern Samar; and Almagro, Matuguinao, Hinabangan, Villareal and Tagapul-an in Samar.
To ensure the timely delivery of assistance to affected communities, the DSWD regional office maintains a stockpile of 240,402 FFPs in 96 hubs across Eastern Visayas. It has also prepared 14,653 ready-to-eat food packs and more than 18,000 non-food items.
Meanwhile, the agency is also strengthening community resilience against drought through water infrastructure projects under its KALAHI-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) program.
In Sta. Rita, Samar, rainwater catchment facilities established through the program continue to provide an alternative water source for hundreds of households amid the threat of severe drought associated with the projected Super El Niño.
The facilities serve 354 households in Barangay Hinangutdan, 115 in Barangay Cabacungan, 258 in Barangay Aslum, 112 in Barangay San Roque and 58 in Barangay Lapaz.
Beyond providing water storage, the facilities help communities prepare for water shortages by ensuring access to an alternative supply during emergencies and prolonged dry spells.
Subong said other communities have also proposed the construction of rainwater catchment facilities in their respective areas for funding this year under the KALAHI-CIDSS program. (PNA)
