About 30,000 families in Region 8 benefit from PGMA’s Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo project

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
December 13, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  About 30,000 food poor families from the priority provinces in Region 8 will be among the millions of recipients all over the country, of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo project, a Christmas treat to food poor families.

The concerned National Government Agencies are now busy preparing for the Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo to the food poor families in Region 8, the Philippine Information Agency learned.

To date, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Region thru its project coordinator Mr. Orville Berino, has already the list of municipalities and the number of family recipients in the two priority provinces in Region 8.

He said that the two priority provinces and the municipalities were identified by the National Nutrition Center in the Region. The priority provinces are Biliran and Samar with 7,011 and 23,895 family recipients, respectively.

In Biliran, the municipalities which will receive the Christmas treat from the President are: Cabugcayan, 1833 families; Caibiran, 1910; Maripipi, 702; Culaba, 976; Biliran, 579 and Cawayan, 1020 families.

In Samar, ten municipalities are recipient of the Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo. These are the municipalities of Matuguinao, 4343; Daram, 4387; Zumarraga, 1538; San Jose de Buan, 665; Gandara, 3846; Tarangnan, 2234; Santa Rita, 2887; Tagapul-an, 860; Motiong, 1726; and San Jorge, 1409.

The latest communication received by DSWD 8, however, stated that the inclusion of the priority 3 provinces is still being studied in Manila. This will include the provinces of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte and Leyte.

Meanwhile, Director Ben Marta of the National Food Authority of the Region, informed PIA, that while the agency is still waiting for the final number of recipients in the region, it has already made canvass of the rice, canned corned beef and packed noodles which will form part of the gift packs from the President.