DSWD to hand food, non-food packages to quarantine-affected families in Luzon

MANILA, Philippines – Food and non-food packages would be distributed to families in Luzon affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to COVID-19, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) confirmed on Thursday.

According to a statement from the department, they are now coordinating with local government units (LGUs) for the distribution of the items to households, and which communities should be prioritized.

DSWD said its central office’s Quick Response Fund amounts to P1.3 billion, which may be replenished by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ensure that communities will continuously be given food and other essential items.

“The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in coordination with local government units (LGUs), is set to provide family food packs and non-food items to families and individuals during the implementation of the community quarantine in Luzon due to COVID-19,” DSWD said.

“This is part of the DSWD’s Technical Assistance and Resource Augmentation (TARA) mandate to assist LGUs as they address the food and other basic requirements of their constituents in times of emergencies,” it added.

DSWD’s actions appear to be in response to the plight of workers who rely on a daily wage, as President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration has forced people except those in frontline services to stay at home.

Several people, including Vice President Leni Robredo, have voiced their concern over the effects of the community quarantine on the impoverished sector, especially after DSWD announced that it is stopping some of its cash grant programs.

However, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista clarified that the department’s social aid programs would continue, and that cash transfer beneficiaries would continue to receive their subsidies through cash cards.

READ: Robredo urges gov’t to reinstate 4Ps amid COVID-19 crisis

READ: DSWD confirms: Cash transfer programs suspended, but aid for poor continues

“DSWD will also partner with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the hauling and delivery of the food packs and non-food items such as hygiene kits to LGUs,” DSWD said.

“Aside from food and non-food supplies, DSWD is now finalizing its guidelines for the provision of social amelioration services that would further benefit families and individuals affected by this health crisis,”

Luzon was placed by President Rodrigo Duterte under ECQ after COVID-19 cases rose quickly.  As of Thursday, the Department of Health said that there are 202 confirmed cases in the Philippines, 17 of which have died.

At least seven have recovered, while there are six patients who were allowed to go on a home quarantine mode.

READ: BREAKING: 15 new COVID-19 cases bring total to 202

The COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that first emerged in China’s city of Wuhan in Hubei province in late 2019.

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses named the novel coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2.

Coronavirus is a family of viruses, which surfaces have a crown-like appearance. The viruses are named for the spikes on their surfaces.  Worldwide, over 193,000 COVID-19 cases have been recorded, 7,865 of which have died.  On the other hand, another 81,743 patients have recovered.