Sagbayan, Bohol – Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon-Juliano Soliman headed the distribution of family food packs to the evacuees in the earthquake-hit municipality today.
She was joined by Australian Ambassador Bill Twedell, Australian Aid (AusAID) Minster Counsellor Layton Pike, World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director Praveen Agraval and Bohol Governor Edgardo Chatto.
The relief packs, good for 15 days, contain 20 kilos of rice, 10 cans of sardines, 10 cans of beef loaf, 10 pieces of noodles, 10 sachets of chocolate drink, and 10 sachets of coffee. A total of 4,186 packs were handed over.
Also during the day, Secretary Soliman, Governor Chatto and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Takahiro Sasaki turned over to the municipal government of Sagbayan P3.5 million-worth of food and noon-food items from the Japanese government.
With a longtime partnership forged three decades ago, the Japanese government was more than wiling to help Bohol when the 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the province.
Last Thursday, Secretary Soliman, Japanese Ambassador Toshinao Orabe, and JICA Chief Representative Sasaki signed the Deed of Donation at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.
The relief items include 150 pieces of tents and 485 blue tarpaulin sheets worth 38 million Yen to help provide safe emergency shelters for the affected families.
Each tent has a floor area of 16 sqm. cotton canvass with galvanized steel for its post. It has a door in front and at the rear and a window on each side. The tent is also protected by a mosquito net with adjustable canvass. It is water and rot proof and ideal for a family of five members.
On the other hand, the multipurpose sheet is 50 meters long and four meters wide with heat sealing on all sides.
“I am deeply touched by the sense of understanding and support shown by the people of Japan to us Boholanos,” said Governor Chatto during the turn-over ceremony.# ##
