Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started distributing boxes of ready-to-eat food (RTEF) to stranded passengers in various ports affected by Tropical Depression Verbena.
According to Philippines News Agency, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response and Management Group stated that 94 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) at Dalahican Port in Lucena City, Quezon, have received RTEF boxes from the DSWD-Calabarzon field office. This initiative aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to ensure that no Filipino will go hungry during disasters.
In Negros Occidental, the DSWD Negros Island Region (NIR) provided RTEF boxes to 100 LSIs at Bacolod Real Estate Development Corporation port. Meanwhile, in Surigao City Port, 39 LSIs received food boxes from DSWD-Caraga. Dumlao emphasized that each RTEF contains halal-certified meals, which are distributed to evacuees and stranded passengers to ensure they have available food during the 24 to 48-hour period of the cyclone's presence in an area.
The contents of each RTEF box include five cans of tuna paella, one can of chicken pastil, one can of ground pork, two packs of arroz caldo (rice porridge with chicken), three packs of champorado (sweet chocolate rice porridge), two protein biscuits, and one infant food item. Additionally, food and non-food assistance amounting to PHP38,454 was delivered to Surigao del Norte.
The DSWD, in collaboration with local government units, is monitoring the conditions of 1,832 families or 5,580 individuals currently residing in 61 evacuation centers in NIR and Caraga.
