DSWD-6 asks for list of El Niño victims

Before food aid can be released

ILOILO CITY — Before food aid can be released, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Western Visayas (DSWD-6) needs a list of families whose livelihoods have been negatively affected by the long-drawn dry weather or El Niño climate phenomenon in the region.

DSWD-6 Regional Director Rebecca Geamala made this announcement even as some 30 members of peasant group Pamanggas continued to stage a demonstration outside the agency’s office here. The demonstration started last Monday, May 23.

The protesters accused DSWD-6 of not releasing food packs to families of farmers who they say are suffering loss of income from the wrath of El Niño.

Geamala denied the accusation and explained that DSWD-6 has already released more than P7.6-million worth of food packs.

She stressed that the DSWD-6 has already reminded local government units (LGUs) in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo as well as Negros Occidental provinces to submit a master list of El Niño-hit families to the agency.

The DSWD-6 still has some 50,000 food packs for distribution to LGUs in the region.

Geamala pointed out that the giving of food packs is the primary responsibility of LGUs and not DSWD-6 as the LGUs have funding allocations meant to address emergency situations.

Meanwhile, Pamanggas is urging demonstrators to stop using children while holding its protest rally outside the DSWD-6 office.

“We denounce the use of minors in the protest action. These children are being exposed to heat, rain and danger even as they are being used to demand donations,” the agency said in a statement.

The protest staged by Pamanggas is supposed to end this Friday, May 27.