Department of Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary for Legislative Liaison Affairs and Special Presidential Directives in the Mindanao Region, Luzviminda Ilagan and National Food Authority Administrator Jason Aquino (second from left) receive the rice donation from the Government of Japan through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) during the ceremonial turnover held at the Mahad Markazi Evacuation Center in Baloi, Lanao del Norte.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Field Office (FO) X, received over the weekend a total of 225 metric tons of rice from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries intended for distribution to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Marawi City who are staying in evacuation centers and home-based communities.

The rice donation was made through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) as part of the implementation of its Tier 3 Programme.

APTERR aims to safeguard the ASEAN region’s food security in times of emergency situations. Its main function is to provide rice for assistance in disaster areas and for poverty alleviation purposes.

His Excellency Makoto Iyori, Minister for Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines and Mr. Chanpithya Shimphalee, General Manager of APTERR Secretariat, handed over the donation to DSWD Undersecretary for Legislative Liaison Affairs and Special Presidential Directives in the Mindanao Region, Luzviminda Ilagan and Lieutenant Colonel Jason Aquino, Administrator of the National Food Authority (NFA) in a ceremonial turnover held at the Mahad Markazi Evacuation Center in the Municipality of Baloi, Lanao del Norte on January 12.

An internally displaced person happily waits for her turn to receive a sack of rice during the ceremonial turnover of rice donations from the Government of Japan.

Also present during the turnover ceremony were the municipal leaders of Baloi represented by Vice Mayor Mustapha Ali, Executive Consultant Alexander Ali, and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Qaharoddin Ali.

“Lanao del Sur, especially the City of Marawi, requires massive rehabilitation work and it needs continuous help and support from all sectors and other ASEAN countries to achieve full recovery and development from the devastation brought by the war. This is why the DSWD expresses its deep gratitude for the assistance provided by the Government of Japan through the APTERR,” Usec. Ilagan said as she accepted the donation on behalf of the DSWD and as representative of the Department’s Officer-in-Charge Emmanuel A. Leyco.

“We appreciate your trust and confidence in us to manage the distribution process of the donation in collaboration with the NFA. Your generosity will go a long way in the provision of needed relief for internally displaced residents of Marawi,” the Undersecretary added.

DSWD FO X Regional Director Nestor B. Ramos also recognized the support of the Government of Japan through the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve for the families affected by the Marawi armed conflict.

The Regional Director also thanked the local government units of Lanao del Norte, particularly the Municipality of Baloi, for hosting about 9,000 displaced families for more than seven months due to the Marawi crisis.

The donated rice will be distributed by FO X to both home-based IDPs and those staying in evacuation centers and tent cities in Baloi, Pantar, Pantao Ragat, and Iligan City. ###