Leyte village receives expired, worm-infested relief goods

Survivors of Typhoon Yolanda in Barangay Gacao in Palo, Leyte received relief goods that had apparently expired and were infested with worms, according to a report on GMA's “Balita Pilipinas” on Friday.

According to the barangay's chairman, who was not identified in the report, they received sacks of donations on Tuesday from an unidentified donor.

The incident prompted the barangay chairman to talk to Palo's Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, which turned out to be the source of the donated goods. 

The MSWDO attempted to retrieve the expired goods but the barangay chairman said he would keep the goods as proof in case he is asked about them, the report said.



The MSWDO did not comment on the issue. GMA News also tried to reach the Department of Social Welfare and Development for comment but the agency has yet to issue a statement.

Malacañang has said the DSWD is looking into the issue.

In a GMA News report on March 14, residents of Barangay San Jose in Palo confirmed a Manila Standard Today report that  expired relief goods had been buried in a local dumpsite.

The Manila Standard Today report said truckloads of relief goods had been buried there.

DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman said the regional Social Welfare office told her "one sack of assorted biscuits, 10 pieces of cup noodles, half a sack of wet and damaged NFA rice and one sack of used clothing" had been dumped at the site. — Andrei Medina/JDS, GMA News