COTABATO CITY — To ensure that nutritious meals are provided for the evacuees of Tropical Storm Paeng in this city and in the provinces of Maguindao del Norte and del Sur, the Bangsamoro Government’s Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) has set up community kitchens at evacuation sites in the areas.
On Friday, October 28, MSSD delivered six (6) sets of cooking equipment and food supplies to its regional office located in this city, to Broce Elementary School in Datu Odin Sinsuat (DOS) town and municipal gymnasium of Sultan Mastura both in Maguindanao del Norte, and to three evacuation sites in Cotabato City. The ministry deployed field workers to man the community kitchens.
MSSD’s Maguindanao provincial branch office located at DOS also immediately put up a community kitchen on Friday to serve hot meals for the flood-affected residents in the area.
Fifteen (15) more sets of cooking equipment and food supplies were turned over Saturday to the provincial office for distribution to several evacuation sites in Maguindao del Norte and del Sur.
MSSD has initially provided on Oct. 28 relief assistance to Paeng victims in Maguindanao provinces and Cotabato City.
A total of 900 packs of ready-to-eat meals, 1,504 sacks of 25-kilo rice, 1,500 packs relief goods containing 12 sachets of coffee and 12 canned goods, 500 pastil, 20 packs of 3in1 coffee, 50 packs of milo, biscuits and cream bread, 10 cases of bottled water, and 50 sleeping kits were provided to evacuees in Maguindanao. Meanwhile, 300 packs of ready-to-eat meals and sleeping kits were given to affected families in Cotabato City.
Hashim Guiamil, chief of MSSD’s Disaster Response Management Division, said the ministry is conducting thorough assessment of Paeng’s aftermath to better plan for its relief strategies.
“Tinitingnan pa rin natin kung gaano kalawak ang damage (ng bagyo) at base from that, doon tayo magkakaroon ng comprehensive response plan para makapagbigay ng tulong sa mga kababayan natin,” Guiamil said during his interview on “Bangsamoro Muna: MSSD at your Service” program on Oct. 29.
He said the affected municipalities in the two provinces of Maguindanao include Guindulungan, Parang, Upi, Matanog, Sultan Sa Barongis, Sultan Kudarat, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Northern Kabuntan, Sultan Mastura, South Upi, Ampatuan, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, and Rajah Buayan. (Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
