Around 33,000 food packs had already reached locked down barangays in the province of Ilocos Norte to provide temporary relief to indigent families in these trying times, according to the Ilocos Norte Covid-19 Relief Operations Center.

Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Lilian Rin said they are thankful for the outpour of donations from various sources — both public and private organizations — as they continue to augment the ongoing relief operations of various local government units which are currently under localized enhance community quarantine due to upsurge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

“Since August 14, we have been repacking family food packs as there are remaining seven municipalities which were not yet given,” said Rin on Tuesday.

The food packs could last up to three days for an average family of four to five members.

On the same day, at least two trucks from the Ilocos Norte government were sent again to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Office in Region 1 to pick up the remaining 3,700 food packs out of the 10,000 food packs as augmentation for the province.

She assured all locked down barangays will be given food aid the soonest possible time.

Among the latest beneficiaries of the DSWD food packs are the locked down barangays of Batac City, Paoay, and Bacarra with Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc leading the distribution team composed of staff from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and the Office of the Barangay Affairs.

“We are grateful to Governor Manotoc and the Provincial Government for providing us with food assistance, which is urgently needed by our constituents affected by (the) lockdown,” said town mayor Remigio Medrano of Sarrat after receiving the food aid for his constituents on Tuesday. (PNA)