DSWD: Antique town officials settle over food pack distribution feud

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday said everything is settled over the viral fistfight between the mayor and vice mayor of Tobias Fornier in Antique due to the distribution of food packs.

At the agency's weekly press briefing, DSWD spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said their regional director had already reminded both of the officials to settle their differences since they share common constituents.

"Ang gusto natin mangyari ay si mayor at vice mayor ay mag usap po para iisa yung request na kanilang isususmite because this request naman po will cover their common constituents. So napakaganda naman po na dapat nag-uusap po yung mga local officials," Dumlao said.

She added that the DSWD has an RPA (relief prepositioning agreement) in every local government unit that allow the agency to preposition food packs in warehouses in strategic locations in the country to speed up the delivery of aid during disasters or emergencies.

"Base kasi sa guidelines ng DSWD, ang LGU, klaro po yun, ay mag-susumite ng request sa DSWD para sa provision ng food packs at non-food items at yan ang basehan ng pagrelease" Dumlao explained.

"Kaya natin nirereiterate doon sa ating local officials gayun din sa provinces, kung paano ang proseso so the LGU will submit a request to the DSWD and that will be the basis doon sa pagrelease ng mga family food packs that are pre-positioned in the warehouse in the RPA," Dumlao further explained.

"Taga bigay lang ang DSWD ng ayuda at dapat in time maipaabot ang tulong. No more, no less," she added.

Antique Mayor Ernesto Tajanlangit III and Vice Mayor Jose Maria Fornier became controversial when a viral video circulated Monday 30 April, showing Tajanlangit III and Fornier fighting over a truck of food packs.