By Sarwell Meniano
In Tacloban City, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided family food packs (FFPs) to 374 families residing in remote villages of Northern Samar who were displaced by recent clashes between government forces and rebels.
Each family received two FFPs on Sunday, following the series of armed encounters that occurred on March 19 near the border of Osmeña village in Palapag town and Magsaysay village in Mapanas town.
“Following the advice of the Army’s 74th Infantry Battalion to temporarily cease farming and other activities near the encounter site for their safety, some residents in these communities temporarily lost their livelihood,” stated the DSWD regional office.
Each FFP contains six kilos of rice, four cans of corned beef, four cans of tuna flakes, two cans of sardines, five sachets of coffee, and five sachets of cereal drinks.
“The DSWD continues to communicate with the local government for other measures that will help those affected,” the DSWD added.
A series of clashes between soldiers and the NPA ensued on March 19, which killed a rebel and also led to the recovery of three high-powered firearms.
The troops clashed with about 30 NPA rebels from the sub-regional guerilla unit and remnants of the dismantled front committee 15 of the Eastern Visayas regional party committee. (PNA)
