The city government of Alaminos has extended yesterday its initial assistance to the victims of tropical storm ‘Ondoy’ in Marikina City.
Ten “Kapakanan ng Bayan” (KNB) vans and a dump truck were used to transport the 100 bags of rice and other donations that include canned goods, grocery items and even buri mats.
Mayor Hernani A. Braganza had tasked, as early as Sunday afternoon, city administrator Wilmer Panabang to immediately deliver the relief goods to Marikina, one of the areas in Metro Manila that experienced the worst flooding in more than four decades brought by heavy rains from typhoon ‘Ondoy’.
Panabang was joined by city councilors Carolyn Dizon-Sison and Earl James Aquino, social welfare and dev’t. officer Imelda Ruiz, some barangay leaders and personnel of the city general service office.
Braganza said when two super typhoons devastated Alaminos in 2008 and last May, Marikina and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) quickly extended assistance to the city.
Both tropical depressions left thousands of Alaminians homeless and hundreds of millions of pesos worth of damages to properties and agriculture.
And in the aftermath of both typhoons, Marikina City and the office of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo through MMDA came to Alaminos and western Pangasinan’s aid.
MMDA donated hundreds of GI sheets and plywoods which were given to the residents whose houses were destroyed by the typhoon.
Chairman Bayani Fernando had also sent some of his personnel here to help the city government in the reconstruction the damaged homes and other rebuilding efforts in the affected barangays.
Braganza said the support that was outpoured by Marikina and MMDA to the city and the rest of first district of the province has been tremendous.
“Now, it’s our turn to help them," he stressed. "We are doing these not only because Marikina is our sister city and many of our kabaleyans are working and residing there.”
“We are simply reciprocating the good deeds they have shown us as well as the numerous assistance they have extended to our city without even asking them,” he added.
“We pray for our brothers and sisters in Marikina that they will overcome this very difficult trial in their life and quickly get back on their feet,” said Braganza.
“We know that most of the victims are totally dependent upon what we, their concerned countrymen, give them to survive from day to day,” he added.
The mayor then appealed to his citymates that if they still have some more to share, they have to give it now to the CSWD.
He assured the donors that their assistance will reach Marikina including Makati, also a sister city of Alaminos, and that it will be of great help to the victims of typhoon Ondoy.
Right after the flag raising ceremony, city government employees work hand in hand to pack the goods and have it loaded in the KNB vans and a dump truck.
The convoy left the city at 1 p.m. and reached their destination around 7 o’clock in the evening.
Director Ramon Santiago of Metropolitan Manila Dev’t. Authority (MMDA) received the city’s donation in behalf of Chairman Bayani Fernando, who with his wife Mayor Marides, were very busy attending the needs of their citymates.
Informed about their arrival, Sec. Fernando managed to drop by at a city-owned warehouse where the goods were temporarily stored to personally thank his friends from Alaminos for coming over.
He also expressed his sincerest gratitude to Mayor Braganza and the people of Alaminos for their concern and timely and valuable assistance extended to Marikina.
After a hearty talk with the hard working secretary and the volunteers in the field who were working round the clock to distribute the relief goods, the city administrator and his group left Marikina at 10 p.m. They were safely home at 3 o’ clock the following morning.
This is just the beginning as far as the Alaminian community is concerned, as the city is set to continue helping its sister city recover from the wrath of Ondoy in any possible means. (CIO)