CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Misamis Oriental municipalities of Naawan and Lagonglong have been identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as pilot areas for the Community Food Bank strategy.
DSWD-10 Director Nestor Ramos said the community food bank is the agency’s social technology project aimed at reducing the risks and vulnerabilities of affected families in disaster-stricken communities.
Ramos said it seeks to mitigate hunger within 72 hours while outside help or rescue is not yet available from the regional, national, and humanitarian agencies.
He said Naawan and Lagonglong were chosen based on the towns’ vulnerability to natural disasters.
“It is a strategy that establishes facilities within communities which stores locally produced food items to ensure that food can easily be accessed, and can be easily distributed to affected families during emergency situation,” he said.
He added that the food bank project also aims to develop the capacities of the local government units in the production of processed food items with longer shelf life, and in utilizing locally produced raw materials.
The food bank also aims to establish community food storage spaces for locally produced food items.
“It establishes a mechanism for the set-up and operationalization of the food bank to ensure timely distribution of food assistance to disaster affected families within 72 hours during onset of emergencies,” Ramos said.
Dr. Delia Maravillosa, of the Social Technology Unit DSWD-10, said the two towns are set to implement the food bank project with their guidance and technical assistance to make sure that all issues faced during its implementation are documented and appropriate solutions are readily available.
“The impact of this social technology project shall be documented so that when the implementation is complete, it shall be determined if this can be replicated by other local government units,” she said. (Ercel Maandig/PNA)
