Relief Distribution Crisis in Lapu-Lapu City
More than 700 evacuees in Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City faced a critical shortage of emergency supplies when only 551 family food packs arrived from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) following Typhoon Tino's impact. The insufficient relief goods forced barangay officials to implement a controversial solution that has sparked both concern and investigation.
Controversial Division of Relief Goods
Faced with the shortage, barangay authorities made the difficult decision to divide the contents of each food pack between two families, despite this method conflicting with established regulations. Each original pack contained six kilos of rice, canned goods, coffee, milk, and biscuits - provisions intended to sustain a single family through the emergency period.
Resident Analiza Inso from Sitio Solas Kalipayan confirmed the situation to SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, revealing that every box needed to be shared between two households. Another resident, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed frustration that the aid distribution appeared limited to those who completed required forms and stayed in evacuation centers, leaving families like theirs who didn't evacuate without assistance.
Official Responses and Accountability
Punta Engaño Barangay Captain Crisanto Estardo acknowledged the decision to split the food packs, explaining that the action was taken to ensure all 736 families listed by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) would receive at least some assistance. "We discussed with DSWD personnel that it would be better to divide these so all evacuees could receive something," Estardo stated during his interview.
However, Captain Estardo clarified that the decision to distribute divided packs wasn't his alone. CSWDO officer-in-charge Sheila Baylosis provided crucial context, noting that DSWD sent food packs based on the barangay's preemptive evacuation data, but the number of packs didn't match the updated evacuee count because the revised list wasn't immediately reported to their office.
Baylosis emphasized that no directive authorized opening and dividing the contents of the relief boxes, noting that CSWDO's role was limited to assisting during actual distribution. The situation appears to violate Republic Act 10121, which explicitly states that packaging or distribution provided by the national government must not be modified or interfered with by any local government unit or private entity.
Investigation Launched into Distribution Method
DSWD Region 7 has initiated a formal investigation into the incident and will coordinate with Barangay Captain Estardo and Mayor Ma. Cynthia 'Cindi' King-Chan. The probe will examine the decision-making process that led to the division of relief packs and determine appropriate accountability measures.
The shortage highlights the challenges in disaster response coordination, particularly when updated information fails to reach the appropriate agencies in time. As the investigation proceeds, affected residents continue to manage with limited resources while awaiting resolution to the distribution controversy.
