Outpouring of aid continues

MANILA, Philippines - More groups and individuals have joined humanitarian efforts to raise funds for the victims of monster Typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas.

A Church-based group and members of the House of Representatives have set aside their differences on “pork” and joined hands to help the typhoon victims.

The Visayas group of congressmen, led by Alfredo Benitez of Negros Occidental, and Church group Pondo ng Pinoy have launched a campaign to raise funds and solicit relief goods, which they would distribute to typhoon victims.

“When we have disasters like this, we have to set aside politics and partisan considerations,” former Ambassador to the Vatican Henrietta de Villa, who heads Pondo ng Pinoy, told reporters yesterday.

Benitez’s group and its volunteers, mostly House employees, have packed more than 60,000 bags of relief goods. They are using the Batasan complex as their base of operations.

Benitez said he and members of the Visayas bloc would use their 13th-month pay to buy more relief goods.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has also fast-tracked the release of the lotto shares of provinces, cities and municipalities in the Visayas to assist them in their relief operations.

Provinces, cities and municipalities that host lotto outlets are entitled to a certain percentage of sales, or “local government unit’s share,” from the outlets.

From the January-June lotto sales, Leyte will receive a share of P7.31 million, and Samar, P2.13 million.  Iloilo, Guimaras, Capiz, Antique and Aklan will receive P6.31 million along with the cities of Roxas, Iloilo, Passi and 71 towns in these provinces.

Over P3.73 million will be given to the cities of Bacolod, Silay, San Carlos, Dumaguete, Bais and Tanjay, and two towns in Negros Oriental.

Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos has sought the nod of the provincial board for an allocation of P1 million as the province’s assistance to the typhoon victims.

Marcos said the cash assistance, which would be drawn from the province’s remaining calamity funds and contributions from local government units, is their way of expressing their solidarity with Leyte, the home-province of her mother, former first lady and now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos.

A 90-man contingent from Isabela province sent by Gov. Faustino Dy III, among them 20 medical personnel, arrived yesterday and started conducting a medical mission in the typhoon-ravaged town of Burawen in Leyte.

Dy said the rest of the group headed by provincial general services officer Roberto Sawit is expected to establish their command post in Palo, Leyte and assist in the retrieval of bodies and in clearing operations.

The contingent also brought 1,000 cavans of rice, medical and other relief supplies loaded in four dump trucks.

The Department of Public Works and Highways regional office in Cagayan Valley is “adopting” at least 20 families of their co-workers from typhoon-stricken areas in the Visayas in Tuguegarao City while rehabilitation and recovery is still underway in their respective provinces.

DPWH regional director Melvin Navarro said the old DPWH regional office compound in San Gabriel Village in Tuguegarao is being prepared for the temporary stay of these evacuees.

In Ilagan City, Isabela, Mayor Josemarie Diaz has declared an “open window” in City Hall for donations of cash, supplies and clothing to be delivered to the Visayas next week.

1BAP party-list Rep. Silvestre Bello III said his group is sending three 40-foot shipping containers of relief goods such as medicine, food, water, clothing, and blankets. – Jess Diaz, Perseus Echeminada, Raymund Catindig