By Brian Campued
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Friday stressed that all of its relief goods, such as family food packs (FFPs) and ready-to-eat food (RTEF), are free of charge and are never intended for sale.
This was the statement issued by the DSWD after the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) – National Capital Region (NCR) seized some 6,000 boxes of “family kits” worth P15.5 million in a warehouse in Tondo, Manila. The items were marked “not for sale” and bear the “Bagong Pilipinas” and DSWD logos.
According to DSWD Spokesperson, Asec. Irene Dumlao, the warehouse is not owned, operated, or affiliated with the agency and no DSWD personnel were involved in the illegal act.
“The Department strongly condemns the unauthorized use of our logo, and warns unscrupulous individuals misleading the public that appropriate legal punishment awaits their actions,” Dumlao said in a press release.
The discovery of the scheme comes amid simultaneous disaster response and relief operations to communities affected by recent tropical cyclones across the country and the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu and the Visayas.
“As we face calamities one after another, it is possible that it is not an isolated business wanting to capitalize the weaknesses of disaster-affected families,” Dumlao said.
“Using the DSWD’s logo to try and sell your products undermines the agency’s integrity and credibility. Aside from that, maligning the efforts of DSWD’s free public service delivery will also adversely impact on the poor and vulnerable sectors we serve, especially those suffering from calamities,” she added.
The DSWD has distributed a total of 437,147 boxes of FFPs to families affected by tropical cyclones Mirasol, Nando, and Opong as well as the southwest monsoon (habagat) in NCR, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Negros Island, Eastern Visayas, SOCCSKSARGEN, Caraga, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as of Friday morning.
Preparations for Typhoon Paolo are also in full swing, according to DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian—with the agency’s quick response teams on alert and stockpiles ready for dispatch.
“While assisting Masbate, Cebu, and Nando-hit areas, DSWD is also keeping an eye out for this new storm. We are ready,” Gatchalian said.
Asec. Leo Quintilla, concurrent Officer-in-Charge of the DSWD’s National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB), has earlier emphasized that aside from FFPs, mobile kitchens are also prepositioned in its field offices across 17 regions.
Based on the 6:00 a.m. report of the Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) on Friday, the DSWD has more than 2.3 million boxes of FFPs prepositioned nationwide.
On average, the DSWD produces 18,000 to 25,000 food boxes daily in its major hubs, which may increase in the coming days as the government ramps up relief efforts.
For earthquake survivors, the DSWD has so far distributed 15,800 FFPs in Cebu as of 10:00 a.m. on Friday. It has allotted about 150,000 FFPs to augment the support being provided by the local government.
The agency has also deployed a mobile kitchen and water tanks in Bogo City to provide hot meals and clean water, while a tent city is being set up at SM Cares Village to temporarily shelter displaced families. (with report from Patrick de Jesus / PTV News)
-jpv
