NEGROS OCCIDENTAL — The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region (DSWD-NIR) has prepositioned 3,000 ready-to-eat food (RTEF) packs across four ports in Negros Occidental to assist stranded passengers during sea transport disruptions.
The RTEFs were officially turned over by DSWD-NIR Regional Director Arwin Razo to Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Port Manager Rodel Lagmay during a ceremony at the PPA Port Operations Building on Wednesday.
“This highlights the strengthened partnership between the DSWD and the PPA with a unified goal of ensuring the availability of food packs in ports to assist stranded individuals during emergencies,” the DSWD-NIR said in a statement.
Out of the total 3,000 packs, 1,380 were allocated to Banago Port in Bacolod City. The remaining packs were distributed to San Carlos City Terminal Management Office (820), Pulupandan Port (600), and Danao Port in Escalante City (200).
The initiative follows an agreement signed last June between DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and PPA General Manager Jay Santiago, allowing the DSWD to preposition RTEFs in PPA-managed facilities nationwide.
The food packs, developed in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), include tuna paella, chicken pastil, arroz caldo, champorado, high-protein biscuits, and complementary infant food.