BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia apologized for the alleged stinky rice and expired noodles that the city government, through the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), recently distributed.
Members of an activist transport group complained that the food packs contained “stinky” low-cost rice and expired instant noodles.
Diego Malacad, secretary general of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC), said the complaints came from an estimated 200 members.
“Some of the rice have discoloration because they may have gotten wet while being stored in the school gymnasium,” explained Leonardia.
The noodles, he said, were procured just this July and supposed to be distributed on the said month.
But since it was also the distribution of the emergency cash assistance from the national government’s Social Amelioration Program, the city government decided to reserve the food packs in times of need, Leonardia added.
Over 38,000 households benefited from the assistance, according to the mayor, and it is normal for some of the packs to have problems.
Leonardia appealed to those who were able to receive expired noodles to raise their concern to the DSSD.
The national government’s task force against coronavirus disease 2019 placed this city under a modified enhanced quarantine status on Sept. 8 due to the rising of number of local infections./PN
