Some 200 persons with disabilities (PWDs) here have received agricultural products and other food items from the Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa ngayong Pandemya (Kadiwa) on Wheels community pantry of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
In an interview on Wednesday, PWD Affairs Office focal person Cristina Nevado said the recipients were thankful and overwhelmed for the support during this time of the health pandemic.
“On behalf ng City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) at ng Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO), ang mga PWDs natin ay natutuwa at nagpapasalamat dahil hindi sila nakalimutang bigyan pansin at ang mga pangangailangan nila sa buhay. Lalo na ngayon sa panahon ng pandemya, patuloy pa rin ang suporta para tulungan at itaguyod ng mga taong may kapansanan. Bilang leader nila, patuloy na hikayatin at iangat bawat organisasyon dito sa Dagupan. My mandate is to give care, protect, rehabilitate and integrate into the mainstream society (On behalf of the CSWDO and PDAO, the PWDs are so happy and thankful because they were not neglected as well as their needs in this life. Especially during this time of the pandemic, the support continues to help and strengthen the PWDs. As their leader, I will continue to encourage them and lift the organizations in the city),” she said.
Nevado said each of the beneficiaries received two kilos of rice, fish sauce, eggs, garlic, eggplant, bitter gourd, corn, tomato, and ham, among others.
The Public Information Office (PIO) said the beneficiaries were former fishermen and farmers in the city.
During the turn-over on Tuesday, Mayor Marc Brian Lim thanked the DA for the assistance to the PWDs in the city.
“Ang ginagawa po natin ngayon ay tumulong sa mga kababayan nating mahirap ang buhay sa iba’t ibang sektor ng siyudad at ngayong umaga, PWD sector naman po ang ating tutulungan (What we are doing right now is to help our indigent fellow Filipinos in the different sectors of the city, and this morning, we are helping the PWD sector),” he said.
Marvin Quilates, officer-in-charge ng Pangasinan Research and Experiment Center DA Ilocos Region, said this city is the second area in Pangasinan visited by the Kadiwa on Wheels.
“Our aim in this project is to help even in a small way our fellowmen to have access to food and to augment food supply in the community, particularly the indigent,” he said.
Among the Kadiwa community pantry donors are Alcala Livestock and Cassava Growers Association Inc., Urdaneta City Organic Farming Rice, Corn, and Vegetables Growers Association Inc., Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperative (NSCC), PREC Breeding Station, JB’S Aquafarm & Seafood Products, MAJJRP Catering Service, Brickyard Grill House, JJEA Agri Ventures and JJM Food Products, according to PIO. (PNA)
