Zambo Sur town buys, sells farm products amid Covid-19 crisis

By Leah Agonoy 

 April 2, 2020

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur -- The municipality of Labangan town has launched a mobile market to help the farmers sell their produce to earn a living amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis.

Labangan Mayor Eduardo Relacion said Wednesday the municipal government buys the farmer’s produce and sells it at farm gate price in other areas of the town.

MOBILE MARKET. The municipal government of Labangan in Zamboanga del Sur has launched a mobile market to provide the farmers the outlet to sell their farm produce and for residents to buy vegetables, meat, and fish at cheaper prices amid the Covid-19 crisis. On Wednesday, the municipal government rolls out the mobile market in Barangay Upper Labangan. (PNA photo by Leah D. Agonoy)

Relacion said the mobile market provides an opportunity for the residents to buy vegetables as well as meat and fish at cheaper prices, aside from providing farmers an outlet to sell their farm produce amid the declaration of enhanced community quarantine.

Relacion said they went on a house-to-house sale Wednesday in Barangay Upper Labangan, which was placed under lockdown as a resident in the area was found positive for Covid-19 infection.

He said all businesses in Barangay Upper Labangan were closed while residents were strictly prohibited from leaving their homes. The lockdown is in effect until April 14.

“This (lockdown) is part of the preventive measures as we would be monitoring all the residents in the area regularly for the possible infection since one of the positive cases in the province came from their barangay (Labangan),” he said.

He said the municipal government and the barangay officials will work together in “assuring the welfare of its constituents most especially in their access to foods and medicines.”

He said the mobile market will operate daily until April 14.

Maj. Gen. Generoso Ponio, the Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander, has also placed Camp Major Cesar Sang-an on lockdown to protect the troops and all its staff members against possible infection from Covid-19.

“This is to ensure that everyone who comes in and out of the camp is not a potential carrier of Covid-19,” said Capt. Clint Antipala, 1st Infantry Division spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Labangan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Marvin Julius Pagaduan said they are conducting regular disinfection in the different barangays in coordination with the Bureau of Fire Protection. (PNA)

Zambo City starts distribution of food packs

FOOD DISTRIBUTION. A soldier assists the personnel of the City Social Welfare and Development Office as the Zamboanga City government starts the distribution of food packs to the poor residents on Tuesday (March 31, 2020). The distribution focuses on five of the city's 98 barangays. (PNA photo by Teofilo P. Garcia, Jr.)

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr

March 31, 2020

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The city government started on Tuesday the distribution of food packs to the residents amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis.

City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) Chief Ma. Socorro Rojas said the local government is targeting to distribute food packs to some 150,000 poor families.

Each food pack contains three kilos of rice, three noodles, three canned sardines, and three canned beef loaf or corned beef.

Rojas said Tuesday's distribution was focused on five of this city’s 98 barangays. These are the barangays of Zone 1, Lumbangan, Lumayang, Sinunuc, and Tugbungan. It was supervised by the CSWDO staff and City Council members, in coordination with barangay officials.

City Councilor Elbert Atilano said they are going house-to-house to distribute the food packs to the identified beneficiaries.

“They don’t need to go out of their residence,” Atilano said.

City Information Officer Sheila Covarrubias earlier said the identification of beneficiaries was undertaken by the Tricycle Adjudication Board (TAB) and the City Administrator’s Office in collaboration with the Office of the Mayor.

Meanwhile, Rojas said that the next distribution of food packs will be undertaken by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the distribution of food assistance to help alleviate the plight of the residents amid the enhanced community quarantine brought about by the Covid-19 health crisis. (PNA)