By Danilo Doguiles | Philippine Information Agency
Koronadal City — A convoy of 24 vehicles left Soccsksargen Regional Center in Koronadal City Tuesday morning (Dec. 28) to deliver relief goods for the victims of the Super Typhoon Odette in Caraga Region.
The mission, dubbed as “Pamaskong Handog ng Dose sa Trese,” is spearheaded by the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (RIATF) XII and the Regional Task Force on COVID-19 (RTF) XII.
The convoy includes three 10-wheeler trucks, seven dump trucks, three wing vans, pick up trucks, police escorts, and other vehicles loaded with family food packs and other food items, jerrycans with water and bottled water, clothing, tarpaulins, sanitary kits, and other items intended for the typhoon-stricken residents of the region.
Interior and local government Regional Director Josephine Leysa told Philippine Information Agency that this is the second wave of relief operations for the typhoon victims in Region 13, with the first carried out in coordination with other national government agencies, local government units, and private sector partners.
“This is a convergence effort. The regional directors agreed during the RIATF-RTF meeting to make this a one regional strategy to help our brethren in Region 13,” Leysa said.
“This is a whole-of region 12 approach, because we also have goods from different local government units and the private sector. Also the RD Foundation donated 1,000 jerrycans of water and boxes of tuna in can,” she said.
DSWD XII Regional Director Restituto Macuto also confirmed that they have sent 5,000 family food packs in this batch of relief goods.
The team is expected to arrive in Butuan City around midnight today to dawn of Dec. 29 where the relief goods will be turned over to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Caraga Region, which, in turn, will manage the distribution of the aid.
Along with the relief goods gathered from regional line agencies, local government units, and private sector partners being delivered to the typhoon-affected residents of CARAGA Region, the Department of the Interior and Local Government XII is also sending aid of food, water clothing, materials for temporary shelters to 63 personnel of the DILG-CARAGA Region. (DED-PIA XII) – ag
