SANTIAGO CITY, Philippines – Victims of typhoon “Juan” in Isabela have so far received at least P2.4 million worth of relief goods, including those from the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
Provincial social and development officer Lucila Ambatali said the donations also included P500,000 worth of goods donated by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).
The PBSP, one of the country’s largest corporate-led social development foundations, is the latest to come to the rescue of the typhoon victims, especially in the hard-hit Pacific coastal towns of Maconacon, Divilacan and Palanan.
“There were still donations that already arrived but have not yet been accounted for,” she said.
Gov. Faustino Dy III said Isabela, the country’s major supplier of rice and corn, has incurred losses of more than P1.2 billion in rice and corn crops destroyed by Juan.
In a statement, Rene Fortuno, assistant director for PBSP’s Luzon regional operations, said their volunteers would focus their relief efforts on the three coastal towns, where power and communication lines have yet to be restored since Juan ravaged these areas.