North Cotabato disperses rice to drought affected communities

KIDAPAWAN CITY-
The Provincial Government of Cotabato
has already distributed rice to at least three municipalities as part of its
year-end relief assistance to identified poorest among the poor families in the
province.

Vergelita Guillaran, Provincial Social Welfare and
Development officer, said the first three towns to benefit from the
relief operations were Alamada (Nov. 17) with 19,153 families from 17 villages
Libungan (Nov 19) with 7,384 families from 20 villages and Aleosan (Nov 19)
with 10,093 families coming from 19 villages. Each family received a bag of
rice containing 5 kilos of rice.

She said the PSWDO has earlier coordinated with the
respective Local Government Units in to come up with the list of beneficiaries who
were identified by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO)
with the help of barangay officials. The coordination also includes the repacking,
hauling and handling of rice for smooth distribution.

Guillaran also said that the relief assistance form part of
the entire outreach program of the provincial government slated for many
villages before the end of the year. The other activities include free eye
checkup and eyeglass for senior citizens, free medical-dental check-up and gift-giving
to children (Pamaskong Handog).

This is an early gift to the beneficiaries to make them
feel the provincial government’s genuine love and care especially this Yuletide
season, she said, adding that distribution has also been conducted in the towns of Midsayap, Pikit, Pigcawayan, Tuluna, Banisilan and Carmen.

Similar activity will take place in Kabacan (Dec 5-6), Matalam, M’lang (Dec 7-8), Antipas
(Dec 9), Arakan (Dec 12-13), Pres Roxas (Dec. 14-15), Magpet (Dec 16-17), Kidapawan
City (Dec 19-20), and Makilala (Dec 21-22).

The
distribution of rice bags are being done systematically with the presence of
village officials, Marchita Capilitan, PSWDO Focal Person, said.The recipiencts were affected by the drought early this year.The office
pushed for the distribution to help ease the negative effect of drought due to
the phenomenon especially the farmers.

Just
the previous months, the PSWDO was also able to distribute rice assistance to
many families affected by different calamities like long drought, flashfloods
and those displaced families because of Rido or clan wars.

Apart
from this, the provincial officials maintain that basic services, programs and
projects must be implemented continuously and prove once more of the provincial
government’s Serbisyong Totoo where sincerity, dedication and mandate to
serve the constituents is a top priority. (JIMMY
STA. CRUZ with reports from ROVILLE ANN SOTTO-PGO Media Center Photo by JAMAICA
ONAS)