DSWD asks for ‘Christmas food pack’ donations

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is considering tapping private companies, organizations and government agencies to donate “Christmas food packs” to victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda in Leyte and Samar.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said the DSWD is cognizant of the need of typhoon victims to have something special to observe, if not celebrate, the Christmas season.

She said that private firms, organizations and government agencies could be donors or “foster organizations” that will provide a beneficiary-community with Christmas food packs.

“We’re looking at an adopt-a-town, adopt-a-community or adopt-a-barangay model,” she added.

The Christmas food packs could be the modest versions of Christmas gift baskets. “The Christmas food packs could have a simple (type of) cheese, not quezo de bola,” Soliman said.

The DSWD is also working on a cash-for-work program for typhoon victims and Soliman said the department will have a final plan by Thursday.

“We’re still deciding what jobs should be included under the program,” Soliman said, adding that the work will largely cover cleaning up surroundings especially in evacuation centers and stevedoring in the DSWD warehouse and ports in Tacloban and other areas in Leyte and Samar.