Paranaque to aid Balangiga and one other Eastern Samar Town

Parañaque City Mayor Edwin L. Alvarez today announced that the city government is sending this weekend an initial 30-man relief and recovery team to the historic town of Balangiga and Maydolong, two Eastern Samar municipalities devastated by typhoon Yolanda, as part of the commitment of all Metro Manila mayors to aid in the recovery of the hardest hit areas.

Mayor Olivarez said the City Council has also authorized the transfer of an initial Php2 million from the funds of Parañaque’s Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council to jumpstart the relief efforts for the two towns which Parañaque has adopted in line with the agreement among mayors in the metropolis.

“Aside from whatever little resources that the city has allotted, we have also started seeking out donations from the kind-hearted people of Parañaque, because we believe that whatever resources we can pool together will go a long way towards helping the people of Balangiga and Maydolong get back on their feet,” he said.

The mayor said the relief drive, called “Lingap Parañaque”, has set up a donation center at the ground floor of City Hall where donations – in cash or in kind – will be received, sorted, and repacked prior to their shipment to Eastern Samar.

He said volunteers are also welcome to help in the repacking of relief goods, as he encouraged the public to spread the word that the city government is doing all it can to ensure that basic goods and essential services, including health and sanitation, are made available to the typhoon victims.

“But while we are readying and packing the relief goods, we will send an initial 30-man contingent to lay the groundwork for our long-term engagement in Balangiga and Maydolong, to help the people there recover and resume normal lives,” Mayor Olivarez said.

The advance team is composed mostly of health workers and engineering personnel who will conduct an initial assessment of what the two towns urgently need for speedy relief and recovery.

“We are asking for food, clean water, clothes, shelter materials, flashlights, cooking utensils, sanitation items, anything that you can spares for our countrymen who have lost almost everything,” the mayor appealed. “And we guarantee you that your donations will reach our target areas as soon as possible.