'No food shortage in Batanes'

MANILA, Philippines - Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral yesterday denied reports of a food shortage in Batanes after typhoon “Pepeng” prevented aircraft and cargo ships from delivering goods to the province.

Cabral said Batanes has enough supply of basic commodities that could last for about two to three months “even without any food shipments.”

“As a typhoon-prone province, they know what to do, they are all used to typhoons,” Cabral told The STAR. “It is not true that they were going hungry.”

According to reports, Batanes residents were appealing for help as supply of commercial rice, milk, bread, sugar, cooking oil, eggs and even fuel had run low after Pepeng prevented aircraft and cargo ships from delivering goods to the province.

Reports said the Philippine Coast Guard has suspended sea travel to the island for the past two weeks due to rough seas.

Cabral said she was also informed by Tina Monson-Palma of the ABS-CBN Foundation three days ago that they already sent a plane “loaded with food” for typhoon victims in Cagayan and Batanes, too.

Cabral said the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, which is under the provincial government of Batanes, has also denied the report.

Cabral said she was informed by provincial social welfare officer Jerome Castillo that they were “luckier” because they we were not affected by Pepeng.