DSWD lauds US for rice aid to 9K families in Marawi

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 15): DSWD lauds US for rice aid to 9K families in Marawi

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary (DSWD) has thanked the US government for its food assistance of 50 kilos of rice for four months to be given to the 9,000 families in Marawi affected by the recent armed conflict.

DSWD Officer-In-Charge Emmanuel Leyco said the rice donation came from the US government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and World Food Programme (WFP) Philippines.

Leyco said the rice assistance will complement the existing cash and food assistance already being provided by the Philippine government.

He added that WFP will use the Listahanan and the Disaster Assistance Family Access card as basis for determining the families who will receive the assistance.

"This will greatly help Task Force Bangon Marawi," he said as he recognized that such initiative will help address the food insecurity that usually threatens disasters victims like the displaced families.

“On behalf of the people of the Marawi and the rest of the Filipino people, we thank the WFP and the USAID for their generosity and continued assistance to our efforts to rebuild lives in Marawi," said Leyco during the turn-over of the rice donation held in Taguig warehouse of the WFP Philippines on Wednesday.

The ceremony was also attended by US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim; Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James Purisima, spokesperson of Task Force Bangon Marawi; and WFP Country Director Stephen Gluning.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1028863