UN humanitarian group extends rice ration to Laoag victims
by Cristina Arzadon
Laoag City (9 November) -- The United Nations World Food Program has continued extending food relief to victims of storm Pepeng that devastated northern provinces last month.
The humanitarian group provided 400 sacks of rice to Laoag residents whose homes were either totally or partially lost to the violent storm that lingered in Ilocos Norte for days.
Aurora Corpuz, city social welfare officer, immediately distributed the rice donation to more than 140 families who were given half-cavan ration each. The food relief also benefited poor families who were given a quarter-cavan ratio each.
Hundreds of families lined up at the city basketball court on November 4 and got their rice assistance in the presence of DSWD staff and WFP representatives.
The WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency that fights hunger, brings food to where it is needed and saves the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. It is part of the UN system and is voluntarily funded.
As part of the UN's humanitarian response, the WFP provides food relief and logistics support with helicopters, trucks, boats and telecommunications equipment to reach and connect to isolated areas.
The group has been providing support to the Philippine government in dealing with the effects of devastating storms Ondoy and Pepeng that hit most of the country last month.
Josette Sheeran, WFP executive director, said the agency will continue working with the Philippine government in helping victims of calamities which led to more than 500 deaths, displaced thousands of families and caused crop damages. (PIA-Laoag) [top]
