DSWD probes report food packs sold in Makati stores

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development is now looking into reports that food packs donated by the United States government to survivors of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) are being sold in malls in Makati City.

DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman said she has formed a team to locate the stores that are selling the so-called meal-ready-to-eat (MRE) packs.

"Ang amin ngayong iniimbistigahan. Kasi bine-base namin dun sa Facebook na nagpakita na parang Makati ho yan sa Cash and Carry yata. At meron ho kaming investigating team na binabaybay yun," Soliman said in a radio interview.

Soliman clarified that the MRE packs are not issued to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. She said that what the DSWD received are high-protein tetra packs from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

"Yung tinanggap namin na high protein. Ito po ay nakalagay sa kahon. Walong maliit na tetra packs paste ang laman po. Ibig sabihin sisipsipin mo po yun. At nung nagdistribute nga kami dun sa San Jose ...yung lang ho ang natanggap namin, yung MRE na tinatawag po meal ready to eat pinaiimbistiga ho namin. Issued ho yan sa military hindi ho yan binibigay sa amin," she said.