DSWD to distribute Noche Buena packs to storm-hit families in Negros Oriental
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, Dec. 23 (PIA) --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 7 Field Office is set to distribute today noche buena packs to 1,413 families affected by Typhoon Sendong in Sibulan town, Negros Oriental.
DSWD-7 Regional Director Evelyn Macapobre will lead the distribution at 1:00 p.m. beside the Sibulan Municipal Hall.
She will be assisted by DSWD-Central Office Program Management Bureau Assistant Bureau Director Paz Sarino.
Each noche buena pack contains ingredients for fruit salad and spaghetti, pancit, cheese, corned beef, and meat loaf, said Aileen Lariba of DSWD-7 in an interview.
The packs were shipped from DSWD’s regional office in Cebu.
The first shipment arrived today for the typhoon-hit families in Sibulan town.
There are 1,630 total families affected by the typhoon in Sibulan town based on DSWD’s records as of this writing.
“The other families who will not be getting their packs today will receive them tomorrow when the next shipment arrives from Cebu,” said Grace Yana, technical focal person of DSWD-7 Disaster Risk Reduction Management Program.
DSWD will start distributing tomorrow the noche buena packs for the other nine affected local government units (LGUs) in the province.
These LGUs are, namely: Amlan with 690 families; Bacong, 119; Dumaguete City, 3,190; San Jose, 400; Siaton, 1,102; Tanjay City, 3,000; Pamplona, 500; Valencia, 358; and Mabinay, 23.
This brings to a total of 11,012 families affected by the floods triggered by Typhoon Sendong in Negros Oriental who will receive the noche buena packs from DSWD, said Yana.
Said figures are based on a report presented by DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman to Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III during the latter’s visit in Dumaguete City on Dec. 20, 2011.
Tropical storm Sendong hit the Philippines on Dec. 17, 2011 and triggered flash floods that swept away houses and damaged roads, bridges and other infrastructure facilities.(RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)