Photo courtesy of DSWD
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) clarified Monday that each of its prepacked family food packs costs about Php 797, rejecting online claims that the government spends more than Php 1,500 per pack.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the Php 1,503.84 figure circulating online refers to the Approved Budget for the Contract, which serves only as the maximum ceiling for procurement.
He said the actual awarded price for each food pack was Php 797.87 after competitive bidding.
Gatchalian explained that suppliers compete under government procurement rules, with contracts awarded to the lowest responsive bidder that meets the agency’s technical requirements.
Each family food pack contains six kilos of rice, four cans of corned beef, four cans of tuna, two cans of sardines, five sachets of 3-in-1 coffee and five sachets of powdered chocolate malt drink.
The DSWD chief also disputed claims questioning the quality of the contents, saying the food items undergo evaluation before they are included in relief packs.
He said the Food and Nutrition Research Institute under the Department of Science and Technology also assesses the products to ensure they meet food safety and nutritional standards.
The clarification came after social media posts misrepresented the procurement ceiling as the actual cost paid by the government for each family food pack.
