Over 1,000 families in Rizal became the latest beneficiaries of relief operations Friday with 700 families in Cardona, 300 families in Talim Island and 100 families in Binangonan receiving relief goods distributed by Inquirer volunteers.

Since it began on Sept. 29, the drive has distributed packs of rice, canned goods, biscuits, noodles, water, coffee and sugar to more than 12,000 families in Pasig, Quezon City, Marikina, Taguig and provinces of Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan and Pangasinan.

It has also received a total of P2.9 million in cash donations. Recent cash donors were the Construction Project Association of the Philippines, Oxford and Cambridge Club of the Phils. and Aquilino Pimentel III.

Donations in kind

Aside from cash, recent donations in kind included five plastic bags of assorted shirts, four boxes of towels and underwear from Chanel Manufacturing Corp. (Molecules); P50,000 worth of blankets, sleeping mats and towels, 300 pieces each of sardines, noodles, milk, and biscuits, 1,200 pieces of toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, bath and bar soap) from ACE Insurance Philippines; 55 cases of coffee from Commonwealth Foods, Inc.; 100 boxes of canned goods from Century Tuna Group; 1,660 packs of biscuits and 3,151 cups of noodles from Minuteman Printers, Inc.

Other donations were four boxes of Sarsarap, 62 packs of assorted snacks, 25 boxes of juice drinks and 21 packs of towels from Full Circle Communications; 41 boxes of assorted medicines and milk from Unilab; three boxes of medicines from RCIB, Inc. (Pedro Fabie Jr.); 500 blankets from ACCRA Law Office; 20 packs assorted relief goods from People Depot GMPR, Inc.

There were three boxes of assorted relief goods from Agent International Public Relations (Reli German and Associates); 2,015 pieces of assorted medicines from Beyond Advertising, Inc.; underwear from LDS Charities, Inc.; 108 cases of assorted canned goods from Latter Day Saints Charities Phils., Inc.; 250 cases of mineral water from Special Events-RTE Ltd.; several bags of used clothes from various donors, some from Inquirer employees.

The relief drive has donated P100,000 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, P500,000 worth of SM gift certificates to Caritas Manila and a cash amount to the Philippine National Red Cross.

Future relief missions

The Inquirer is still accepting donations for future relief missions to Calasiao and Sta. Maria, both in Pangasinan.

Donors may send relief goods to the Inquirer main office at 1098 Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague Street in Makati.

Goods may also be dropped off on weekdays at the following Inquirer classified ad branches: G/F Atrium Building on Makati Avenue in Makati; 5/F Building B, SM Megamall on Edsa in Mandaluyong; G/F Trinity Building on Kalaw Avenue in Manila; and St. Anthony?s Building on Aurora Boulevard in Cubao, Quezon City.

Also accepting donations are all McDonald?s and PSBank branches in Metro Manila, as well as selected Cebuana Lhuillier outlets and the RFM relief center on Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong.

Cash donations may be deposited to PSBank Account No. 111-112002660 for peso deposits and PSBank Account No. 111-132000158 for dollar deposits under the account name ?Inquirer Ondoy Relief Drive.?