To provide assistance to local governments units (LGUs) in Metro Manila that were affected by the new community quarantine classification, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepared in advance thousands of food packs (FFPs) for families.
Based on the report of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) as of Sept. 20, DSWD said that more than P13.2 million worth of FFPs have already been prepared for the affected families.
This, DSWD said, is equivalent to 17,000 FFPs which were augmented to a total of 16 cities and one municipality in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Prior to their request for resource augmentation, DSWD has allocated 1,000 food packs for each LGU.
The provision of family food packs is a co-sharing responsibility of DSWD and the concerned LGU pursuant to the Memorandum Circular No. 11, series of 2021.
“With this, households in lockdown areas will receive food packs from their respective LGU for the first seven days while the Department will augment on the eight and following days of the quarantine,” DSWD said.
Meanwhile, DSWD said that LGUs with areas under granular lockdown --- as ratified by the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force against COVID-19 --- need to “submit a formal request” to the concerned DSWD-Field Office for augmentation of FFPs.
Citing MC 11, s. 2021, DSWD explained that a city or a municipality has to “comply” with the requirements such as a request letter duly signed by the Local Chief Executive (LCE) indicating the number of requested FFPs and enclosed implementation plan.
A master-list of beneficiaries or recipients for granular lockdown and isolation assistance as well as a resolution or certification from LCE on the declaration of granular lockdown are also needed.
Furthermore, DSWD also emphasized that this is the “same process” that the LGUs undergo for the request of resource augmentation during times of calamities, disaster, and earthquake.
This, DSWD said, is in accordance with the MC 10 s. of 2018 or the Guidelines on the Provision for Technical Assistance and Resource Augmentation to Local Government Units through LSWDO.
The entire Manila was placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) Alert Level 4 which is second highest alert level under GCQ on Sept. 16.