THE Provincial Government of Tarlac under the leadership of Governor Susan Yap has extended humanitarian assistance to communities affected by Super Typhoon Odette that hit parts of Visayas and Mindanao including Palawan on December 17 to 18.
On December 24, a Philippine Air Force [PAF] cargo plane flew to Bohol, Cebu, Negros Occidental and Surigao del Norte to deliver 1,600 sacks of rice worth P3,680,000 and a financial assistance worth P500,000 to the province of Palawan.
“I hope that the token humanitarian and financial assistance that we sent to our kababayans in the typhoon ravaged provinces can somehow have an impact. In our own little way, I can say, we were part of the efforts to provide for them,” Yap said.
Typhoon Odette pummeled the country on December 17 as a super typhoon packing wind speeds of 195 kilometers per hour. It made nine landfalls – Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte; Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands; Liloan, Southern Leyte; Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte; President Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol; Bien Unido, Bohol; Carcar, Cebu; La Libertad, Negros Oriental; and Roxas, Palawan – before leaving the Philippines on afternoon of December 19.
The severe tropical storm left widespread destruction in areas along its path, flooding communities, uprooting trees, knocking off houses and buildings, cutting electricity supply, and impairing communication lines.
Tarlac Electric Incorporated, the power supplier of Tarlac City likewise sent a team to help in the restoration of electricity in the ravaged areas.
Tapped by Yap for the humanitarian assistance were the Tarlac capitol Consultant Pater Paul “Pipo” Soliman, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and the Provincial Equipment Pool Office.
PAF Vice Commander MGen. Arthur Cordura expressed his appreciation for the efforts of Yap and the provincial government of Tarlac in extending assistance to typhoof-affected provinces.
“This is the spirit of Bayanihan and despite the pandemic our local government units like Tarlac province were able to send their assistance,” Cordura said.
“Let us all pray for the speedy recoveries of the provinces that were hit by the super typhoon,” Yap concluded. –Arvin Ferdinand M. Cabalu
