DAVAO ORIENTAL – Food security is now being placed as among the topmost priority of the provincial government amidst the Community Quarantine being implemented in the province brought about by the threat posed by the dreaded COVID-19.
As agreed during the Inter-Local Government Unit meeting last Friday, March 20, there will be a distribution of food packs per household. The tentative schedule of the distribution will be on March 30.
Based on the settled arrangements, the provincial government will shoulder half of the requirements for the first round of distribution while the remaining half will be shouldered by the Local Government Units.
During the meeting, Governor Nelson Dayanghirang appealed to the National Food Authority to consider implementing special policies to expedite the processing and purchase procedure for the rice requirements.
The National Food Authority said it has already allocated 5,000 sacks of rice for the whole province of Davao Oriental –of which 2,000 sacks are allocated for the province, 1,000 sacks for the City of Mati, while the LGUs are allocated with 100 sacks each. The remaining 1,000 sacks are set aside for the security forces.
However, Governor Dayanghirang requested the NFA to negotiate rice farmers to sell their harvest to the NFA in order to augment the province’s requirement of 24,000 sacks for the next two weeks. “We need a ready supply of rice,” he said.
“We are not in a normal situation,” said Governor Dayanghirang as he asked the agency to make the necessary adjustments and arrangements to cater to the needs of the province in this dire time due to the threat of the COVID-19.
Meanwhile, as agreed by all the local chief executives, all households will be given food packs for the first round of distribution.
This will be done through the puroks. The Governor and mayors have set a system for the distribution which requires the residents to use the Home Quarantine Cards which the LGUs will provide. This strategy aims to minimize, if not eliminate, direct contact with the residents. Social distancing and precautionary measures will also be ensured.
The first round of distribution is set to start on March 30. Each of the food packs will contain 6 kilos of rice, 4 cans of sardines, 4 cans of beef loaf, and 4 sachets of coffee.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has readied an initial 3,500 food packs which will be augmented in the coming days.
Succeeding distributions are yet to be finalized as the officials want to prioritize those who are the most affected, including those who belong to the “no work, no pay” workers.
Meanwhile, Governor Dayanghirang requested the mayors to decide carefully the utilization of their LGUs’ respective 20 percent calamity funds.
“We are not in a normal situation. We need to use our funds wisely.
Gamitin natin ng tama. Ang hindi importante huwag na (Use it correctly. Don’t use it if it’s not important),” he said.
Friday’s Inter-Local Government Unit Coordination Meeting was called to harmonize the implementation of policies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. Present during the meeting were the mayors of the ten municipalities and one city of the province. (PIO)
