QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with the Department of Science and Technology—Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST FNRI)—will start distributing and prepositioning nutritionally analyzed Ready-To-Eat Food (RTEF) boxes by 2025 to disaster-prone areas.
“Ang tinitignan natin, by next year, we can start na po ang pagpe-preposition ng mga Ready-to- Eat food boxes natin sa mga seaports sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng bansa at mga komunidad na tinatawag nating ‘disaster-prone areas’,” said Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Special Projects Maria Isabel Lanada during a media forum on Thursday, December 5.
(What we are looking at, by next year, we can start prepositioning our Ready-to-Eat food boxes in seaports in different parts of the country and communities that are identified as disaster-prone areas.)
The RTEF boxes, created with the assistance of DOST-FNRI, are designed to provide nutritious meals for a family of five (5), including complementary food for children six (6) months to twenty-three (23) months. These relief items will be distributed to affected families within 24 to 48 hours after a disaster hits the area.
“Basically, ang concept ng RTEF ay bago dumating ang disaster, may ready-to-eat food na para sa mga apektado nating kababayan. Hindi na sila makaranas ng gutom… and then pagkatapos ng within 24-48 hours, nandon na FFPs natin na mas malaki,” Lanada added.
(Basically, the concept of RTEF is that before the disaster comes, there is a ready-to-eat food for affected families. They will no longer experience hunger and then within 24-48 hours, we have Family Food Packs (FFPs) that are bigger.)
An RTEF box contains ready-to-eat meals, including tuna paella, two cans of chicken pastel and giniling, two packs of arroz caldo, three packs of champorado, two pieces of high energy biscuit/cracker, and one piece of chocolate complementary food, along with five sporks.
Developed through a year-long study, it meets the World Health Organization’s (WHO) nutritional guidelines to ensure a safe, balanced diet. According to DSWD, the RTEF will supplement, not replace, the DSWD’s FFPs for affected families during a disaster. (GLDG/PIA-NCR)
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