A total of 6,741 families in the southern town of Samboan received family food packs in exchange for their various disaster mitigation works, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Central Visayas said on Wednesday.

In a statement, DSWD-7 regional director Shalaine Marie Lucero said these families from 15 villages of Samboan were engaged in tree planting of over 400 seedlings, as well as desilting and declogging of barangay drainage systems, rivers and canals to avoid flooding during heavy downpours.

She said each beneficiary received a family food pack (FFP) from DSWD in exchange for their three-day work from Oct. 18 to 20.

“The Food-for-Work Program aims to extend assistance to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and families by giving FFPs and creating temporary employment while at the same time encouraging the community to participate in projects that benefit their locality,” she added.

The total worth of assistance released in Samboan reached PHP4.2 million.

This program was made possible through the request of the local government of Samboan and was supervised by the agency’s Disaster Response Management Division.

A short-term program of DSWD, the activity provides temporary employment to distressed or displaced individuals, families living in or near disaster-prone areas, or geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

The families who are engaged in this program conduct preparedness, mitigation, relief, rehabilitation or risk reduction projects, and activities in their communities. (PNA)