Davao City winds down 3 food aid, 4 others to continue under GCQ

The Davao City government is winding down three of the seven food programs rolled out in March to assist Dabawenyos affected by lockdowns and movement restrictions during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

The four remaining food assistance programs will continue while the city remains under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

“Daghan na sa atoang mga offices ang nahuman na sa atoang food relief (Many of our offices have completed our food relief assistance),” Mayor Inday Sara Duterte said over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

During the lockdown, the city government rolled out the Food Ration, Tabang sa Industriya Panghayupan, City Mayor’s Office Quick Response Ration, the Rice Distribution, Hot Meals, Tabang sa Mag-uuma, and the food assistance for private offices and establishments not yet allowed to operate under GCQ.

These seven programs are funded under the city government own resources amounting to P13.98 million and the national government’s Bayanihan Grant amounting to P482 million.

The three offices that are winding down their emergency food program are the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), the City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO), and the City Agriculturist Office (CAO).

In three rounds of food rationing to 182 barangays since March, CSWDO distributed a total of 1,292,195 grocery packs to 435,053 families.

CSWDO, however, continues with its second program to assist workers in private offices and establishments that are still not operating under GCQ.

“Ang CSWDO, human na sila sa ilahang ration—grocery packs distribution, but duna pa sila’y ongoing karon, isa, which is katong panghatag og mga grocery packs sa mga offices and establishments not exempted by GCQ (The CSWDO is done with the grocery packs distribution in the barangays but it has an ongoing program which is the distribution of grocery packs to the offices and establishments not exempted by GCQ),” Mayor Sara said.

The CVO also completed its “Tabang sa Industriya Panghayupan”. It distributed pork meat, eggs, cooking oil, dressed chicken, fresh milk, and salt to economically-depressed barangays. It has reached a total of 86,960 households in 89 selected barangays in the city.

The CAO is also done with the “Tabang sa Mag-uuma” program delivering fresh vegetables, fruits, root crops, and fish to frontliners, and 22 barangays. A total of 57,414 Agri-Food packs and 30,000 kilos of fish were served to 1,657 frontliners and 55,757 households.

The Mayor’s Office has just completed its 6th round of rice distribution but will continue to distribute until July.

“Ongoing pa ta for June and July but katong last man gud in a month, like sa April, ka tulo ta nagrelease, sa May katulo pud ta nagrelease, diri karon, once a month na ta. So sa June magrelease ta kausa, sa July magrelease ta’g kausa. (We will continue until June and July but unlike the previous months – April and May, we released three times. Now, we will be releasing once a month for June and July),” Mayor Sara assured.

The CMO’s Quick Response Ration which assists households and individuals who have not received food ration from the CSWDO and other offices will also continue.

The team distributed a total of 22,720 sacks of rice to 182 barangays and 13,259 grocery packs to 3,395 individuals and 9,864 groups.

The serving of Hot Meals (Lomi and Lugaw) in the barangays will continue. The Barangay Cultural Communities Affairs Division (BCCAD) is present in 98 barangays. From April 2 to June 1, 2020, BCCAD has served 2,270 pots of lomi and 12,530 pots of lugaw. CIO