The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday assured the public that it is enforcing strict quality control measures to ensure the safety and quality of family food packs (FFPs) distributed to families affected by calamities.
“Gaya po ng sinabi ng aming Kalihim, Secretary Rex Gatchalian, walang papasok sa kahon ng aming food packs na hindi niya personal na natikman o kinain (As our Secretary, Rex Gatchalian, said, nothing goes into our food pack boxes that he has not personally tasted or eaten),” Assistant Secretary Leo Quintilla of the DSWD’s Resource and Logistics Management (RLM) said in a statement.
Quintilla said the DSWD implements stringent quality control measures to ensure that all food items, including rice, canned goods, coffee, and choco malt drinks, are clean, in good condition, and safe for consumption.
His statement came after it was reported Tuesday that some individuals allegedly complained of an unpleasant smell from the rice included in the DSWD’s FFPs.
“We immediately coordinated with our Field Office (FO) 5 – Bicol Region to verify the news. Pero sabi ng aming FO sa Bicol Region, walang report na nakarating sa kanila na may amoy ang bigas na nasa loob ng aming FFPs (We immediately coordinated with our Field Office (FO) 5 – Bicol Region to verify the news. But our FO in the Bicol Region said they had not received any report of an unpleasant smell from the rice contained in our FFPs),” Quintilla said.
He said rice service providers are required to submit certifications to the DSWD confirming that the rice meets prescribed quality standards.
These include being well-milled; having no more than 14 percent moisture content; being white to creamy white in color; being free from objectionable odor, infestation, and other contaminants; and having at least 75 percent head rice.
The certification must also indicate that the rice was milled within zero to three months before the date of delivery, he added.
“Binubusisi po natin nang mabuti ang mga bigas na inilalagay natin sa kahon. May mga certification po tayong hinihingi sa mga service providers to ensure na bago, hindi pa expired, at talagang ligtas kainin (We scrutinize very well the rice we are putting inside the pack. We ask certification from our service providers to ensure that the rice is new, not yet expired, and safe to eat),” Quintilla said.
He also said that the DSWD implements the first-expiry, first-out (FEFO) system to ensure that food items with earlier expiration dates are distributed first, minimizing food waste and preventing spoilage.
The DSWD said its Quality Assurance and Control personnel directly supervise and oversee product handling and dispatch operations and conduct pre-delivery inspections of hauling vehicles to ensure compliance with food safety requirements.
DSWD personnel likewise inspect the condition of FFP boxes during unloading at regional and local government unit (LGU) warehouses.
“Any box showing signs of moisture damage, deformities, tearing, or puncture is immediately isolated for non-distribution,” Quintilla said.
The DSWD’s FFPs provide immediate food assistance to families affected by disasters and other emergencies.
Each pack contains six kilograms of rice, four cans of tuna flakes, four cans of corned beef, two cans of sardines, five sachets of instant coffee, and five sachets of choco malt drink.
The composition of the FFPs was endorsed by the National Nutrition Council and is in accordance with the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intake formulated by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute.
Quintilla urged the public to immediately report to the DSWD, its field offices, or their respective LGUs any concerns regarding relief items they receive.
As of Sept. 1, Quintilla said the DSWD had distributed more than 2.4 million boxes of FFPs to families and individuals affected by the recent storm and the southwest monsoon (habagat).
The DSWD also maintains PHP5.63 billion worth of stockpiles and quick response funds available for augmentation support to affected LGUs. (PNA)
