BY IME SORNITO AND IAN PAUL CORDERO
ILOILO – A total of 3,500 food packs on Saturday were distributed to nearly 1,054 families in four island-villages of Gigantes in the town of Carles. Residents were suffering from lack of food after the island was rendered isolated due to the prolonged inclement weather brought by the southwest monsoon.
On Saturday morning, the Department of Social Welfare and Development administered the distribution of food assistance to the affected residents of barangays Asluman, Granada, Gabi, and Lantangan.
Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard and Office of the Civil Defense delivered the relief goods onboard Cape Engaño MRRV4411 vessel requested by Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
Barangay Lantangan captain Jonas Bensurto said he is glad the government heeded their call for help and immediately sending food assistance.
“Nagakalipay gid ako kay bisan amo ni kalayo sang lugar namon natalupangdan kami sang ahensya sang gobyerno para mabuligan ang mga pumoluyo nga naga-suffer,” said Bensurto.
He added the relief operation was a big help for them as local maritime authorities halted all sea travel to the island affected by days of torrential rains.
“Mga five days or one week na nga wala sang biyaheso naga-suffer gid ang Barangay Lantangan ilabi na sa isla kay may gale warning indi kami makatabok kag indi pasugtan sang coast guard nga makakadto sa banwa nga makabakal sang amon kinahanglan,” said Bensurto.
He added if severe weather still persists, their limited food supply will eventually run out.
“Siguro kon may tatlo pa ka adlaw siguro basi kon maglalain na ang aton tawo kay wala baklan mo, way sang biyahe,” Bensurto said.
Meanwhile, Lily Bagona, councilor of Barangay Lantangan, also expressed her gratitude to the government for sending food assistance.
“Gapasalamat gid kay makabulig gid ang relief goods sa mga pumoluyo sa amon,”said Bagona.
Liezel Billones, 26, resident of Barangay Lantangan, narrated her experience as prolonged storms have been preventing them from fishing.
“Grabe ka pigado way kami kuhaan sang pagkaon kay sa amon pangita sa lawod grabe ka pigado,” she said.
Billones added they are now facing a huge hardship and the food they received was barely enough to stave off hunger.
Mayor Siegfredo Betita placed the town on Friday under a state of calamity. Sea travel in the island was suspended the past few days, disrupting the livelihood of fishermen. Residents were unable to shop in urban centers to replenish basic commodities.
Local officials of the affected barangays were thankful to the relief operations.
The Gigantes consists of about 10 islands; the two largest are Gigantes Norte (North Gigantes) and Gigantes Sur (South Gigantes).
The island chain has four villages – Asluman (834 families), Granada (771 families), Gabi (613 families), and Lantangan (1,054 families).
Betita said the weeklong inclement weather also left some 200 tourists stuck in Gigantes Island.
“We cannot ferry them to the mainland so we have to take care of them. There were about 94 tourists from Passi City composed of village and municipal officials who held a teambuilding activity there,” added Betita./PN
