By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
WITH the federal shutdown suspending food stamp benefits for more than 5,500 households in the Commonwealth, the Department of Public Safety is preparing for a potential increase in domestic disturbances and community unrest.
DPS Commissioner Anthony Macaranas said the department is on alert for the social consequences of disrupted livelihoods, particularly in households already struggling to meet basic needs.
“Every disruption of livelihood creates a trickle-down effect,” Macaranas said.
“It can lead to crime, chaos in the family, or other issues because the necessities of the household are no longer met due to funding problems and lack of resources,” he added.
While DPS cannot provide financial assistance, Macaranas said officers are committed to helping families avoid escalation.
“We’re ready to assist in ways that reduce disruption and prevent fights or anything that causes inconvenience to families,” he said.
“We want to help people make their lives easier without ending up in jail. Jail is not the answer — it’s just a temporary measure to enforce the law. It doesn’t fix the problem.”
Officers have been briefed to approach domestic calls with heightened sensitivity, recognizing the stress many families are under.
“My advice to the people is to live within your means and find ways to maintain your livelihood,” Macaranas said.
“This hardship is temporary, not permanent. We need the community’s cooperation. Please do not commit crimes just to feed your family.”
He encouraged creative solutions, such as farming, fishing, and resource-sharing to meet household needs.
“There are many ways to sustain your family’s needs,” he said. “We just have to be creative and understand what our families truly need.”
Meanwhile, Gov. David M. Apatang has formally requested emergency budget authorization from the Legislature to sustain food assistance benefits amid the federal funding gap.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
