Presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte tapped their network of volunteers to distribute relief goods to those affected by the onslaught of Super Typhoon Odette.
The BBM-Sara UniTeam volunteers have prepared relief packs containing 5 kilos of rice, assorted canned goods such as sardines, corned beef, meatloaf, milk, and instant coffee.
“The relief goods that we will distribute are ready, we have rice, grocery packs for the victims of the typhoon, the volunteers of BBM-Sara UniTeam have been alerted to come and distribute these aids,” said the UniTeam.
The UniTeam volunteer network has also prepositioned some relief goods in critical areas to facilitate its distribution.
“Our office is monitoring typhoon Odette and we are looking into what else the victims need. We are currently working with local governments to deliver these aids immediately,” they added.
The BBM-Sara UniTeam Alliance in partnership with its allies that include Tingog Party-list group has been pooling resources to help the victims of Typhoon Odette in the Visayas and Mindanao.
“We have to come together and help our people in the face of devastation left by Typhoon Odette,” said House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).
He said the UniTeam in coordination with Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Romualdez is preparing relief goods at the Community Center in Tacloban City initially for distribution to Southern Leyte.
According to the reports of Favorite Music Radio (FMR) station, Romualdez said BBM-Sara and Tingog Party-list have so far prepared 2,500 pieces of packed goods, 1,500 hygiene kits, and 400 1.5 ml bottles of mineral water.
Romualdez is the campaign manager of vice presidential candidate and Lakas-CMD chair Duterte-Carpio under the UniTeam Alliance with Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (HNP), Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).
The House of Representatives designated Romualdez as caretaker of Southern Leyte following the appointment of former Rep. Roger Mercado as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The UniTeam has prepared 6,000 relief packs for the Samar Province, 6,000 for Leyte Province, 2,000 for Tacloban, and 6,000 for Masbate.
Volunteers are still busy preparing several batches of relief goods for distribution to other areas requiring aid.
Bongbong and Sara also appealed to fellow Filipinos to continue praying for the safety of those displaced or affected by the Super Typhoon.
“It is sad because it has only been a few days since Christmas and there has been a typhoon. Even so, we will continue to pray for the safety of our countrymen, especially those affected by the typhoon,” said the UniTeam.
They also encouraged those along the typhoon’s path to follow the government’s emergency bulletins to stay safe and away from the dangers posed by Typhoon Odette.
“For our compatriots affected by the typhoon, let’s follow the government’s wishes, if it is necessary to evacuate, let’s do it so that we can avoid any disaster,” BBM-Sara UniTeam said.
PAGASA last spotted Typhoon Odette’s center over the coastal waters of P. Garcia in Bohol at 7:00 pm. It made its sixth landfall at Bien Unido, also in Bohol.
Odette was moving with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph with gustiness of up to 255 kph and moving westward at 30 kph.