Zambo evacuees start going home, get food packs

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) office has stopped giving cooked food to evacuees in 13 evacuation centers here, but has instead provided food packs and kitchen utensils.

DSWD regional director Zenaida Arevalo said the food packs and kitchen kits were given to evacuees whose houses were burned down during the three-week fighting between government troops and Moro National Liberation Front  forces.

Evacuees whose houses in barangays Santa Catalina, Santa Barbara, Mariki, Talon-Talon and Rio Hondo are still being cleared from unexploded bombs will also be given food packs and kitchen kits.

“We have started getting back the [food] cards, especially from those who evacuated out of fear,” Arevalo said.

Consuejo Usman, DSWD assistant regional director, said they had urged “families who fled due to fear or are home-based, meaning they stayed with friends and relatives but are not directly affected,” to return to their homes.

DSWD records show that there are 11,263 families considered home-based, 6,937 families staying at the sports complex and 2,801 in 12 other evacuation centers. Julie S. Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao