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DNAP drive-thru canceled
The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs would end the drive-through Disaster Nutritional Assistance Program number distribution at the Minachom Atdao in Susupe
DCCA Secretary Robert Hunter told Saipan Tribune yesterday that the drive-through DNAP number distributions at Minachom Atdao in Susupe would end today and that only walk-ins would be entertained.
While the number of DNAP registrations has already reached over 14,000 just on Saipan, Hunter noted that only a trickle of people showed up during the DNAP number distributions from 9am to 3pm yesterday.
Not many were getting numbers, said Hunter, each time he passed by the pavilion to check on the number distributions. “I just don’t see the justification to set up [the drive-through distribution site] in Minachom Atdao again since it was set up to handle massive amounts of traffic.”
“It’s already unnecessary,” he added.
Hunter noted that the decision does not need the approval of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Nutrition Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
According to Hunter, there are about14,000 households on Saipan and Tinian. As of 10am yesterday, over 14,300 numbers have already been distributed on Saipan since Sunday.
“We are not going to deny DNAP numbers for people,” he told Saipan Tribune. “[The Nutritional Assistance Program staff] will address [whether DNAP number-holders are qualified for DNAP] at the site in As Lito.”
According to Hunter, the NAP office printed 18,000 paper numbers for DNAP.
FEMA and FNS approved to set up the new DNAP number distribution site at the Minachom Atdao to avert massive traffic at the smaller two-lane road in the NAP office in As Lito.
The original intention of the location change was to prevent camping for benefits, which occurred last Saturday for the first day of DNAP numbering on Sunday.
