As in every crisis situation, the Filipino bayanihan spirit once again surfaces as assistance and donations for typhoon-affected victims in various municipalities of Pampanga continue to pour in from well-meaning local private groups and institutions including international organizations.
Pampanga Governor Lilia G. Pineda said that aside from the relief assistance provided by local private organizations, international organizations such as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) also donated relief goods to flood victims in the province.
Pineda said that UNICEF representatives Vanessa Tobin, Nonoy Fajardo, Tim Grieve, Grace Agcaoili and Angela Travis recently turned over to her office 500 health kits and 500 water kits for distribution to flood victims in the province.
Likewise, the UNICEF representatives endorsed 500 health kits, 500 water kits and 500 pieces of plastic mats to the municipal government of Masantol and 560 health kits, 560 water kits and 560 plastic mats to Macabebe town.
These two towns, according to the governor, are among the heavily-flooded municipalities due to the onslaught of typhoons Pedring and Quiel.
Jingle de Guzman of the Office of the Governor said that each health kit contains one pail, one water dipper, three nail cutters, three packs of sanitary napkins, six toothbrushes, four bars of Perla soap, 12 bars of Safeguard soap, two 150 ml toothpaste and two malongs.
The water kit contains one 20- liter jar and one hyposol 50 ml bottle, de Guzman added.
The governor mentioned that 3,000 packs of energy biscuits were earlier given by the HCT, a humanitarian team of various international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Program (WFP), United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), MERLIN and OCHA.
The energy biscuits were distributed to the flood-victims in affected municipalities of the province through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The HCT team also conducted a one-day joint needs assessment of the towns of San Luis, San Simon and Masantol with the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC). Support assistance was provided by the province’s DRRMC and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional office.
The chief provincial executive also acknowledged the relief goods donations from private organizations such as the San Miguel Corporation, Maynilad, Pampanga Chamber of Commerce (PAMCHAM), Red Cross,Pampanga’s Best, Mekeni Food Products, Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce-Pampanga chapter and the Golden Group Multi-Purpose Cooperative which donated 50 cavans of rice.
Bacolor Mayor Jomar Hizon also provided food packs, meat products, fresh chicken, eggs and bottled water while the Smart Communications and National Telecommunications Commission also established Libreng Tawag booths for families who want to communicate with their loved-ones.
Globe Telecommunications also expressed commitment to provide relief goods to flood-stricken towns in the province.
“The provincial government is thankful that all these groups are voluntarily lending their assistance and services to alleviate the condition of our flood-stricken Cabalens,” the governor ended. (Pampanga PIO)
