By Ali Macabalang
KIDAPAWAN CITY – The provincial government of North Cotabato started distributing on Wednesday relief goods for its constituents who are persons with disabilities (PWDs), totaling 1,762 in three cluster towns.
Social welfare workers sort out packages of rice, vegetables, and root-crops for distribution to persons with disabilities in three North Cotabato towns on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
(Handout photo / MANILA BULLETIN)
The initial distribution of packages containing 10 kilos of rice, vegetables, and roots crops benefited 854 PWDs from Arakan, 413 from Antipas, and 495 from President Roxas, according to social welfare workers dispatched by Gov. Nancy Catamco.
In a statement, Catamco said the special dispersal program for PWDs whom she tagged as “most vulnerable” in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, did away with the usual inclusion of canned goods in the supply of rice.
“We bought the vegetables and root crops from resident-farmers to help them generate income (during the enhanced community quarantine), and distributed the fresh products to PWDs to boost their body resistance against infection,” the governor said.
On Thursday, Catamco said the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office team will conduct the second distribution to PWDs in the cluster towns of Banisilan, Alamada, Pigcawayan, and Aleosan.
The special relief assistance will continue until all PWDs in the 17 towns of the province including this city are served, the governor said.
She also said that Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) serving as frontline workers in the province’s ECQ have received honoraria from the provincial government.