Guinobatan, Albay – Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman flew here over the weekend to witness the turn over of food packs and other relief supplies to Albay Province.
The relief supplies were brought to this town through the Ligtas Mayon Caravan organized by the DSWD and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on October 11.
The caravan which carried some P9.4-million worth of relief supplies composed of
food packs, malong, mosquito nets, mats, water containers, hygiene kits, and medicines, reached this town early Sunday morning, October 12. A blessing ceremony was held before these were turned over.
It was followed by a ceremonial distribution of relief supplies to selected evacuees with Sec. Soliman and other cabinet secretaries, namely: Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, Health Sec. Enrique Ona, Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje, and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, witnessing the activity.
Sec. Soliman emphasized that the caravan was made possible through the cooperation of member agencies of the NDRRMC.
“We not only want the evacuees to be safe but also to be comfortable and have enough food in their stay in the evacuation centers,” Sec. Soliman said.
For his part, Sec. Roxas shared that it was President Aquino’s desire to ensure that the needs of the evacuees are addressed.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda, on the other hand, expressed his thanks to the national government saying, “The food packs are more than enough to augment the daily needs of the evacuees especially now that PHILVOCS has warned of an explosive Mayon eruption anytime.”
“This is a reflection that the national government genuinely cares for the people,” Gov. Salceda added.
Meanwhile, Guinobatan Mayor Ann Yap Ongjoco expressed her gratitude to the national government for being pro-active.
Evacuees also expressed their gratitude to the national government for not neglecting them.
Arlene Mar, 55, an evacuee from Barangay Muladbucad said, “Mula noong unang araw pa lang na kami ay nandito, hindi nagkulang ang DSWD sa pagbigay ng suporta at assistance (From day one that we were brought in the evacuation center, DSWD has never failed to extend its support and assistance).”
The cabinet secretaries visited an evacuation center here and in Camalig where they interacted with the evacuees. ###
