In line with the continuing distribution of relief items to families affected by the Marawi crisis, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) today issued clarifications on an issue spreading among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Marawi City regarding the items in their hygiene kits.

The DSWD through its Field Office (FO) in Region XII stated in its Family Assistance Record of the IDPs that it will provide them with hygiene items worth P1,825. However, because of problems with the supplier of said kits, the contents of the hygiene kits were limited to items worth more or less P500.

Pictures have been circulating in social media platforms showing the items and some IDPs are questioning why the amount stated for the items is P1,825.

The DSWD explained that the cost of the items and the total cost of each hygiene kit were  predetermined and written on Family Assistance Records much earlier before the actual kits were distributed. There is no intent to overprice the items.

On October 29, DSWD FO XII Director Zorahayda Taha spoke to the returning IDPs in Basak Malutlut, Marawi City and explained that the hygiene items are among the immediate needs of the locals so they decided to distribute the kits  despite of the fact that they were incomplete.

“The hygiene kit is not really the complete hygiene kit dahil medyo nagipit ang oras ng supplier natin, pero oras na mai-deliver ng supplier, ibibigay natin sa inyo agad (The hygiene kit is not yet complete because of the problem on the delivery of our supplier, but as soon as we receive the supplies, we shall immediately distribute them to you),” Dir. Taha assured the families.

The DSWD Field Office has pledged to release the complete hygiene kits as soon as they arrive from the supplier, and to also release the other items from the incomplete kits to those who received them. The DSWD said that it keeps close tabs on the release of the kits and monitors how many have received incomplete kits and in which areas and communities these were distributed.

In the meantime, DSWD Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Emmanuel A. Leyco said, “Matagal pa po ang pagsasamahan natin upang muling maibalik ang ganda ng siyudad ng Marawi kaya gagawin po namin ang aming makakaya upang lalo pang ayusin ang proseso sa pagbibigay ng tulong sa mga apektadong pamilya (We still have a long way before Marawi City returns to its former beauty so we assure you that we will continue to improve the process of providing relief assistance to the affected families).”

Regarding the relief operations in Marawi City, affected families may send inquiries via the mobile number of DSWD Socsargen 0918-9122813. ###