Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. (Photo from the Manila Public Information Office)
MANILA, Philippines—The City of Manila is set to send hundreds of sacks of rice and boxes of food donations to areas devastated by Typhoon Odette.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Saturday also said the city government would send P2.5 million in assistance for the recovery efforts in the typhoon-hit areas in Visayas and in Mindanao.
“Maraming Salamat sa mga nagpadala ng tulong! Tuloy tuloy po ang ating isinasagawang Bayanihan para sa mga kababayan nating nasalanta ng Bagyong Odette sa Visayas at Mindanao,” Moreno posted on his Facebook page.
Hundreds of sacks of rice and boxes of food were brought to a repacking station along P. Noval Street where Manila volunteers were busy sorting out the food packs for immediate distribution in typhoon-hit areas.
On Friday, Moreno launched “Tulong ng Manilenyo sa mga Nasalanta ni Odette” donation drive and appealed to Manila residents and business groups to pitch in as a way of helping affected communities.
At the same time, Moreno thanked Dr. Honey Lacuna, his vice mayor in Manila, and the City Government Council for the speedy approval of a resolution that allocated P2.5 million in assistance for the recovery efforts in the typhoon-hit areas in Cebu (P1 million), Bohol (P500,000), Leyte (P500,000), and Surigao del Norte (P500,000).
At least 75 people have been reported killed and more than 300,000 people fled their homes as the typhoon ravaged the southern and central regions of the archipelago.
Extending assistance to calamity victims is nothing new under the leadership of Mayor Isko, Lacuna had pointed out.
According to the Vice Mayor, the City Government has also given assistance to the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption and the Cagayan and Marikina flooding, among others.
Late afternoon of Saturday, Moreno flew to Cebu City to personally hand-over the boxes of medicines and vitamins to Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
Moreno also gave Garcia the P1 million allotted by the local government of Manila for typhoon victims in her province.
The 47-year-old local chief executive gave an additional P1 million personal donation to Garcia for the province’s relief operations.
Moreno also met with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros and Councilor Edu Rama and personally handed to them boxes of medicine and vitamins for typhoon victims in evacuation centers.
“Thankful as we are that Metro Manila and Luzon were spared by the Typhoon Odette, I now appeal to kind-hearted Manilenos to share whatever they can for our Visayan and Mindanao brothers severely affected by the typhoon,” Moreno said.
For food donations, drop-off point is at no. 813 P. Noval St. corner Sergio H. Loyola, Sampaloc, Manila. Contact details: 0969-4596261; 0969-4596262; 0927-7971723. Point person sin Marissa David.
For more information on how to donate, visit the official Isko Moreno Domagoso Facebook page.