Election ban: DSWD-7 suspends distribution of family food packs to El Niño-affected families

Stocks of family food packs are stored in one of the warehouses of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas in this 2017 photo | CDN file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) has already suspended, starting today, the distribution of family food packs.

“Election ban naman, so starting today, suspended na ang atong distribution,” Sheba Dabon said, SWO IV (social worker officer IV) and DRRS (Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Section) focal of DSWD-7, despite several requests that they had received from Local Government Units (LGUs) in relation with the weak El Niño phenomenon which had affected farmers and fisherfolks livelihood. 

Dabon said that since January, DSWD-7 had already distributed almost 29,000 family food packs under their food for work program. 

The program was implemented in order to mitigate the effects of the dry spell. 

Read more:  DA-7 has P35M standby fund to mitigate El Niño’s effect in agri sector

Among LGUs who received family food packs are Liloan, Aloguinsan, Tabuelan, Daanbantayan, Naga City, Pinamungajan, Asturias, Balamban, Malabuyoc, San Fernando, Santa Fe and Talisay City in Cebu; Batuan, Sierra Bullones, Candijay, Ubay, Buenavista and Trinidad in Bohol; and Guihulngan City, Tanjay City, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.

Read more: El Niño Phenomenon: Cebu province under state of calamity

“Our central office is currently asking for an exemption (to the Commission on Election (Comelec)) aron mapadayon nato ang pag-distribute og family food packs,” she added. 

(Our central office is currently asking for an exemption (to the Commission on Election (Comelec)) so that we can continue to distribute the family food packs.)

Beneficiaries of the cash for work program were only asked to work within one and a half a day.

Each family food pack is worth P360 inclusive of six kilos of rice, four cans of corned beef, four cans of sardines and six packs of energy drink or coffee sufficient for five members of a family and that is good for two days.

She also said that the distribution of family food packs should only be done by DSWD personnel, and no official candidate should be present during the distribution. 

“If  i-grant ang atong exemption, the distribution should only be done by DSWD and walay mga kandidato nga tugutan nga makaapil,” she said.

(If the exemption will be granted, then the distribution should only be done by the DSWD and no candidate will be allowed to join in the activity.)/dbs