DSWD, LGUs to distribute food packs to residents affected by granular lockdowns

(INQUIRER / file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Residents who will be affected by the granular lockdowns will receive food packs from the national government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the local government units (LGUs), a DSWD official said Monday.

During a 14-day granular lockdown, DSWD Assistant Secretary Glenda Relova said the LGUs will provide food packs for the first week while the agency will provide food packs for the second week and succeeding weeks if the lockdown is extended.

“So ang scheme po natin ngayon, for areas na opisyal na may deklarasyon ng granular lockdown, mamamahagi ng family food packs sa mga apektadong pamilya sa loob ng 14 days na quarantine period,” Relova said in a televised briefing.

(Our scheme for areas that will officially be declared as under granular lockdown, family food packs will be distributed to families affected by the 14-day quarantine period.)

“For the first seven days po, ang atin pong mga lokal na government units ang magbibigay ng ayuda na food packs. Yun pong day 8 to 14, si DSWD po ang magbibigay ng food packs. In the event po na magkaroon ng extension ng lockdowns, the national government through the DSWD will still provide for the food packs sa atin pong mga kababayan,” she added.

NO ENTRY, NO EXIT  – Granular lockdowns will be pilot tested in Metro Manila to stop the spread of the more contagious Delta variant. (NINO JESUS ORBETA)

(For the first seven days, the local governments will provide the food packs. From day 8 to 14, it’s the DSWD which will provide the food packs. In the event of an extension of the lockdowns, the national government through the DSWD will still provide food packs.)

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases already “provisionally” approved the shift to a new strategy where only enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and general community quarantine (GCQ) with alert levels system will be piloted in Metro Manila.

Under this policy shift, granular lockdowns or restricting movement of people in small areas with high COVID-19 transmission will be imposed by the LGUs.

The pilot testing of the new strategy is targeted to start on September 16.

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