Government Food Distribution Program for Families Affected by Rains in Puerto Plata

Government Food Distribution Program for Families Affected by Rains in Puerto Plata
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 4/16/2012

As a way of helping families affected by the recent torrential rainfall, President Leonel Fernández instructed the Economic Food Centers to deliver more than 2,000 packages of uncooked food rations to thousands of families in Puerto Plata who were left incommunicado and without access to food as a result of the rains.

The non-perishable food rations were delivered by the Administrator of the state-run Economic Food Centers, Nicolás Calderón, who was accompanied by the governor of Puerto Plata, Eridania Llibre Ortiz; the director of the Food Centers of Cibao, Ramón Jiménez and other local authorities.

The non-perishable food rations were delivered by the Administrator of the state-run Economic Food Centers, Nicolás Calderón, who was accompanied by the governor of Puerto Plata, Eridania Llibre Ortiz; the director of the Food Centers of Cibao, Ramón Jiménez and other local authorities.

The food deliveries contained beans, cooking oil, pica-pica, rice, spaghetti, salami, tomato sauce, garlic in pasta and liquid Sazón, all of which can be used for a period of two weeks.

“We have precise instructions from President Leonel Fernández to help, through the Food Centers, all those families who have been adversely affected by the rains. He is very concerned about the situation that has occurred in this area,” said Nicolás Calderón.

Mr. Calderón said he believed that the assistance sent by the President to the men, women, children and senior citizens will mitigate the food shortages people here are experiencing as a result of being left incommunicado from the strong rains that fell in this area.

The municipalities in Puerto Plata that benefitted from the food deliveries were La Isabela, Guananico, Luperón, Gualetico, Estero Hondo, La Jaiba as well as the main city of the province and sections of Gualeque and La Ceiba.

Prior to these food deliveries, the Food Centers distributed some 2,000 food packets to residents in neighborhoods of Santiago, Tamboril and Villa González where devastating downpours also left people without access to food. Dominican Vice President Rafael Alburquerque was involved in this food distribution operation. 

Since last Thursday, the 5^th of April, the Economic Food Centers provided thousands of cooked meals to families affected by the rains in the Province of Santiago through various Mobile Food Program units (PAM in Spanish) to meet the food needs of this area.  At the moment, they are operating mobile kitchens in Villa González, in the sector of Cien Fuego, as well as La Otra Banda and in Cañada del Diablo, in the city of Santiago.

Last Wednesday, April 11^th, the government agency distributed some 5,000 cooked meals while on Thursday the 12th they delivered 15,000 in just the city of Villa González. The Economic Food Centers is planning to produce around 50,000 cooked meals in the area for as long as this food supply operation is underway.