It is barely enough to fill the nutritional needs but with their villages so isolated, residents have to find ways to survive the crisis.
"We find it so expensive and so difficult traveling to Cagayan de Oro," Besigan Barangay Chair Melenio Minister said.
He said a motorcycle consumes a liter of gasoline every time it travels to Cagayan de Oro from Besigan, an impoverished village some 67 kilometers south of Cagayan de Oro City.
It would be a waste of time to travel all the way to Cagayan de Oro to get two kilos of rice being distributed by the National Food Authority (NFA) in the city markets, Minister said.
He said instead of going to Cagayan de Oro to buy rice, Besigan residents go to Talakag town, which is nearer, to buy the staple grains.
Unfortunately, the NFA has no authorized retailer in Barangay San Antonio in Talakag and Besigan residents buy the commercial rice variety at P32 a kilo -- if they have the money.
In Besigan, the residents have resorted to reducing the rice they partake at the table every meal.
"From three pints or cups of rice that we consumed before, we are now using only 1 1/2 pint," Henry Santaan, a councilor in nearby Tignapoloan, said.
"And we are cooking it as lugaw para mabusog ra mi maski gamay ra ang among gilung-ag ug paresan ra dayon namo og balanghoy (We cooked the rice as porridge so all of us can eat and be nourished. We also eat root crops)" another Besigan resident, Angelou Agon said.
Agon said life is very hard in Barangay Besigan these days that even the women pitched in to help find money for their families.
"Modawat na lang mi og padaro. Ang suhol sa daro kay P100 ang adlaw ug kung magbasok ka, suholan ka og P30 ang adlaw (We accept plowing jobs. We get paid P100 for plowing and P30 for weeding)," she said.
The arrival of Mayor Constantino Jaraula and Vice Mayor Vicente Emano proved to be a blessing for the Besigan residents. Jaraula brought 1,500 kilos of rice, which was distributed for free among the residents.
City Government personnel also offer free medical and dental consultations, veterinary service, and fruit and vegetable seedlings distribution.
The visit of Jaraula and Emano is part of the monthly People to People Program (PPP) of the present local administration.
Children flocked to get their share of hot chocolate porridge while their parents avail of the free services provided by the City Government.
