Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Camp 9 at Linothangan Elementary School prepare food for dinner in their Community Kitchen. (PIA Negros Oriental/DSWD-7 photo)
DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA)— Julieta Alingasa Maligmat, 46, and her family fled Sitio Galung, Barangay Masulog to escape from restive Kanlaon Volcano in Canlaon City.
His family took shelter in one of the evacuation centers established by the local government, which also provides meals and relief goods from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the families of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
“Nagpasalamat ra mi sa walay puas nga suporta labi na sa DSWD ug ni Mayor Batchuk…wala sad mi naglisod sa among pagkaon, naa ray pagkaon sa matag adlaw namo,” said Maligmat.
(We are grateful for the continued support, especially from DSWD and Mayor Batchuk… we are not worried about our food. There is food served for us daily.)
IDPs in Camp 9 at Linothangan Elementary School have started cooking their meals using the supplies distributed by DSWD-7 for their community kitchen.
Noel Morte, 40, from Barangay Pula, one of the IDPs and one of the recipients of FFPs, said they volunteered to cook for IDPs sheltered in the camp as a way of helping the community.
“Nagkasinabot ra mi tanan. Kami ang nagluto para sa pagkaon nila, 700 kapin jud ang amoa gilutuan so naa ra mi pirmanente sa kusina. Akoa ra ni kabubut-on sa pagtabang, naa man akoa pamilya ug mga igsuon tanan, wala man nagluto dire so ako automatic kami nagluto dire sa area,” said Morte.
(We all agreed on it. We cook for over 700 people. So, we are always in the kitchen. I voluntarily offered to help because my family and siblings are all here, and no one else is cooking, so, instinctively we prepare food in the community kitchen.)
Morte said that such an initiative ignited their spirit of ‘bayanihan’ in these trying times.
The community kitchen is a collaborative effort among the IDPs, local government of Canlaon, and the DSWD to make good use of the goods provided while also minimizing the risk of fire hazards.
“This effort exemplifies the spirit of cooperation and resourcefulness, and also prioritizes the safety of families by reducing the risk of fire hazards associated with individual cooking,” said DSWD 7 Quick Response Team vice chairperson Tonyson Luther Lee.
Each FFP contains six kilos of rice, four canned sardines, four canned corned beef, two canned tuna, five sachets of cereals, and five sachets of coffee. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)