The UniTeam humanitarian mission led by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte has continued its relief operations to help victims of Super Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) in Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, Cebu, and Southern Leyte.
“Christmas is coming and we know this simple help is not enough to erase the tragedy that typhoon Odette has brought to thousands of families especially in Visayas and Mindanao but, we are here to give them hope,” House of Representatives Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) president, said.
“These difficult times call for even stronger camaraderie and I hope that our people will courage on and remain resilient. Rest assured that we will continue to help them overcome this devastation and hopefully, rebuild their homes and lives as soon as possible,” added Romualdez.
On Thursday, the UniTeam turned over 2,000 food packs to Dinagat Islands Rep. Alan 1 B. Ecleo and 1,000 food packs to Butuan City Vice Mayor Jose Aquino II to help the typhoon victims.
The UniTeam also handed over 2,000 food packs to Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Paz Radaza whose district was also hit by Odette.
Romualdez also said his office and the Tingog party-list have been sending additional 1,000 food packs to Southern Leyte.
“The Tingog party-list is still preparing other items like hygiene kits and blankets for typhoon victims and the relief mission continues until today (Friday) and will resume on December 26,” Romualdez,
Southern Leyte’s caretaker following the appointment of former Rep. Roger Mercado as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), said.
He said that the Tingog party-list will also send three generators, 4,600 bottles of drinking water, four sacks of blankets and handwoven mats, and pails to affected communities in Cebu.
The BBM-Sara UniTeam on Monday afternoon completed an eight-province swing to deliver cash assistance and other relief goods to areas devastated by Typhoon Odette, bringing to P15 million the total financial aid and to P23.3 million the total cost of relief items delivered to calamity victims within a two-day period.
The UniTeam Humanitarian Mission, which managed to reach eight provinces from December 19 to 20, also delivered P1 million worth of construction materials for the repair of shattered houses and several thousands of bags of rice intended for distribution to calamity victims.
The UniTeam gave financial assistance and relief goods to local officials of some typhoon-stricken areas such as Maasin City, Southern Leyte, Butuan City, Bohol, Cebu, Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte, Roxas City in Capiz, Masbate, and Negros Occidental.
“The entire UniTeam led by the BBM-Sara tandem is here for our fellow Filipinos and we will continue to reach out to areas badly affected by the strong typhoon,” Romualdez said.