Friday, April 18, 2008
Social welfare officers prepare to implement new rice distribution
AS the National Government pursues its plan to pull out stocks of cheap rice from public markets, regional social welfare offices are preparing to implement the new distribution scheme in their localities.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 Director Teo-dulo Romo said he expects to receive today the guidelines on the new system where local government units and parishes will distribute National Food Authority rice to “food-poor” residents.
In Central Visayas, those under the “food poor” category are families of five earning P4,170 a month or P139 a day.
Romo added that in Cebu, these are families of five earning just P142 a day or P4,262 monthly, according to National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) records in 2006.
Upon President Arro-yo’s orders, the distribution scheme will be studied in selected depressed communities in Metro Manila-the pilot area—for the next two to three weeks.
It is aimed at making the subsidized rice more accessible to those living in the poverty threshold.
Romo said local welfare offices and barangays will identify the beneficiaries, distribute “family access” cards and ensure the NFA rice stocks will go to them.
The scheme, he added, will correct the abuses to the current system, which was seen to have deprived the intended beneficiaries of the government’s hunger mitigation program.
At present, even those not belonging in the poverty threshold can buy rice stocks from any NFA retailer.
Although purchases are limited to three kilos per buyer, there is no way a retailer could determine if each of them is from one family or not.
Several members of the same family could buy as many kilos of rice in a day as possible, Romo pointed out.
“This is to ensure nga ang nagkinahanglan gyud ang maka-access sa subsidized rice,” he said.
However, he admitted that the distribution scheme through local governments could expose the system to political influences.
“(The interplay of politics) is always a possibility. But we will make sure that there will be full transparency in the distribution and full information dissemination on the criteria of the beneficiaries,” Romo said.
Barangays, he added, should operate a registration center that is accessible by all beneficiaries.
Although NSCB records show that there were 469,978 households in Cebu belonging to the food threshold in 2006, Romo said the figures could increase this year due to the hike in the prices of basic goods and the population growth. (CYR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 18, 2008 issue)
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