The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) extended its appreciation anew to Cebu Pacific Airlines for its valuable assistance in transporting 300 gift boxes and vacuum-packed rice bags to Visayas and Mindanao, all free of charge.

“The DSWD appreciates the assistance of the Cebu Pacific Airlines amid the different calamities being experienced by our kababayans in some parts of Visayas and Mindanao,” DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez, who is also the agency spokesperson, said.

On November 19, Cebu Pacific facilitated the air transport of 300 gift boxes through eight batches of air shipments to various locations in Visayas and Mindanao.

The gifts were part of the nationwide gift-giving day initiated by the Office of the President for the annual ‘Balik Sigla, Bigay Saya’ activity.

The activity aimed to spread the joy of the holiday season through the simple act of gift-giving, with a special focus on children aged 4 to 11 years old.

Recipients include those from DSWD-managed centers, residential care facilities (CRCFs), local government unit (LGU)-run facilities, and private social welfare development agencies (SWDA).

Last October 29, some 90,000 vacuum-packed rice bags were also efficiently transported in a single air shipment to Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

These bags were promptly utilized for the immediate production of family food packs, which are intended for distribution to families affected by calamities.

Asst Sec. Lopez said the DSWD continues its production and repacking operations in various disaster response hubs and warehouses around the country to ensure that sufficient relief aid will be prepositioned.

“These relief goods will readily augment the pre-positioned food packs in localities affected by disasters such as the recent earthquake in Mindanao and the effects of the shearline and other weather disturbances in Visayas and in the Bicol Region,” the DSWD spokesperson said. #