By Lane Afable, News Editor
Earthquake victims in Mindanao need not worry about food assistance, as the government is working around the clock to ensure the timely delivery of relief supplies, including up to the hardest-hit and most remote communities, a Malacañang official said on Tuesday.
“Kahit po ‘yung mga malalayong lugar at ‘yung mga lugar na hindi naaabot ng mga sasakyan natin sa ngayon dahil nasarahan po at nagkaroon ng landslide, nagawan po nila (Department of Social Welfare and Development) ng paraan para maabot ang mga kababayan natin,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Palace press briefing.
“Hindi po dapat mag-alala sa mga pagkain, sa mga food packs, para makarating sa ating mga kababayan na naapektuhan ng lindol,” she added.
Castro also said that President Marcos is scheduled to visit Mindanao to personally assess the situation and ensure that government response efforts are addressing the needs of affected communities.
As of 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, the DSWD has already deployed 2,045 family food packs (FFPs), 2,705 ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes, and 360 non-food items to affected families in Mindanao, particularly in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, and SOCCSKSARGEN.
Beyond food assistance, Castro said the government is also prioritizing the safety of displaced victims by ensuring they have a safe place to stay following the disaster.
“Inaasikaso po ito ngayon. Nakita po natin kanina sa meeting, ‘yan ang inuna ng Pangulo na ang mga kababayan natin na walang matirahan ay maaari sila munang manatili sa mga evacuation centers at sa mga provided na tents na sinasabi po ng DSWD,” Castro said, referring to the situation briefing led by President Marcos on the impact of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Mindanao and the government’s ongoing response efforts.
“Hindi po ito pababayaan,” she emphasized.
