The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reminded the public that selling, repacking, and unauthorized distribution of ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes and other relief items provided during disaster response operations are strictly prohibited under Republic Act No. 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.
“Ito ang mga bawal: pagbenta at pagbili, bawal ang pag repack, pagpalit na laman—-hindi pwedeng palitan ang laman. Violation ito sa RA 10121,” Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) Leo Quintilla, who is also the Officer-In-Charge of the DSWD-National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB), said on Saturday (June 28) over DZMM’s Serbisyong DSWD for Every Juan.
SAS Quintilla said covering or removing the official DSWD label, or giving the items to people who are not eligible to receive them are also considered violations of the law.
The RTEFs and other family food packs (FFPs) are intended solely for individuals and families affected by calamities and emergencies, according to the NRLMB head.
“These are distributed free of charge by the DSWD or through local government units (LGUs) to ensure that basic needs are met in times of crisis,” SAS Quintilla said.
The prohibited acts, under RA 10121 include diverting or misdelivering of relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities to persons other than the rightful recipient or consignee; accepting, possessing, using or disposing relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities not intended for nor consigned to him/her.
Another prohibited act is misrepresenting the source of relief goods, equipment or other aid commodities by either covering, replacing or defacing the labels of the containers to make it appear that the goods, equipment or other aid commodities came from another agency or persons; repacking the goods, equipment or other aid commodities into containers with different markings to make it appear that the goods came from another agency or persons or was released upon the instance of a particular agency or persons.
“Pwede kang kasuhan kapag nilabag mo ang mga ito,” the NRLMB chief said.
According to SAS Quintilla, food items inside the RTEF box which include five cans of tuna paella, one can of chicken pastil, one can of giniling, two packs of arroz caldo, three packs of champorado, two protein biscuits, and one complementary food for infants, are also printed on the box, making it easier for the receipients to check if the box has been repacked or tampered.
“What is important also is nandito na sa box yung content o anong laman. Alam ng tao anong laman, dapat pagbukas ng tao ay ito ang mga laman ng RTEF box,” SAS Quintilla pointed out.
The ‘Serbisyong DSWD for Every Juan’ is anchored by veteran broadcaster Alvin Elchico and cohosted by Jet Guevara of the DSWD’s Public Relations Service (PRS). It airs every Saturday from 11 am to 12 noon at DZMM Radyo Patrol 630. (YADP)