If it doesn’t change direction, potential supertyphoon “Ramil”, according to PAGASA the 18th weather disturbance this year, will hit Cagayan this Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Ramil packs winds of 175 km per hour gusting up to 210 kph. PAGASA predicts that Ramil will smash across Cagayan , Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, Apayao and the Batanes group of islands on October 22, 2009, and exit toward the South China Sea.
Pampanga and Angeles City in particular appear to be not in the path of Ramil, but there’s nothing wrong in getting prepared for any emergency.
Some people give out of their abundance and should be commended for their giving; some give whatever little they may have until it hurts and should deserve equal praise, if not more so.
For all giving is good, especially more so when the giving benefits those in real need. And whoever gives until it hurts deserves greater praise because the giver gives not only to fill a material need of a fellow human being but also actually gives a part of himself to such an one to fill the need of both body and spirit. Such giving is most uplifting and ennobles both the giver and the receiver.
Let us not tire but continue to give to those of our kababayans who have fallen victims of Ondoy and Pepeng, and to those who may also become victims of Ramil. Let us continue to love and care, for that is what true giving really means.
Last week, I received a letter from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Luwhalti F. Pablo requesting me to waive the toll fees due for more than 100 trucks loaded with relief goods, including all vehicles joining the caravan scheduled to ferry relief items on October 19, 2009 to various provinces of Regions I, II, III and Cagayan Autonomous Region (CAR). This was in connection with the relief operation called “Sama-samang Pagtulong” organized by the DSWD together with the different government and non-government agencies relative to the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to all government agencies to help the victims of typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng.
I immediately contacted Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNCP) President/CEO Rodrigo E. Franco and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) Chairman Al Santos to waive tollways fees due to all those trucks and vehicles that joined the caravan ferrying relief goods for delivery to the victims of Pepeng, and both MNCP and BCDA quickly responded favorably to the request.
In anticipation of Ramil, the DSWD had also made arrangements with the Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, who is also the Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), for two (2) C-30’s to deliver 46,297 pounds of food and emergency items to Central Luzon (the affected towns of Bulacan and Pampanga in particular) and 46,501 pounds of relief goods to the Cordillera region (Benguet, Baguio, Kalinga, and others), including Pangasinan.
The caravan was to ferry truckloads of relief items for distribution to some 500,000 families in 19 provinces in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and the Cordilleras. The DSWD reported that 30 private and international organizations were prepared to join the relief caravan. It said that more than 1.5 million victims of Ondoy and Pepeng continue to receive government aid. Of these, 1.1 million in 222,292 families were victims of Ondoy, while 336,346 in 70,612 families were victims pf Pepeng, including those in evacuation centers.
By itself, the DSWD has given Php34.8 million worth of food and non-food items to Ondoy victims, while Php31.0 million w3orth of assistance was given to victims of Pepeng. ABS-CBN and GMA-7 have raised between them hundreds of million worth of relief goods since Ondoy struck Metro Manila last September 26, 2009 which they distributed to storms and floods sufferers.
Meanwhile, I can see the continuing efforts of Angeles City, Mabalacat and San Fernando City, and Pampanga officials and private citizens, civic groups and professional and religious groups to give donations (cash and in kind) for calamity victims. May our good God continue to bless them. May their goodly tribe increase!
Until here, see you all next week, Mabuhay!
Pampanga and Angeles City in particular appear to be not in the path of Ramil, but there’s nothing wrong in getting prepared for any emergency.
Some people give out of their abundance and should be commended for their giving; some give whatever little they may have until it hurts and should deserve equal praise, if not more so.
For all giving is good, especially more so when the giving benefits those in real need. And whoever gives until it hurts deserves greater praise because the giver gives not only to fill a material need of a fellow human being but also actually gives a part of himself to such an one to fill the need of both body and spirit. Such giving is most uplifting and ennobles both the giver and the receiver.
Let us not tire but continue to give to those of our kababayans who have fallen victims of Ondoy and Pepeng, and to those who may also become victims of Ramil. Let us continue to love and care, for that is what true giving really means.
Last week, I received a letter from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Luwhalti F. Pablo requesting me to waive the toll fees due for more than 100 trucks loaded with relief goods, including all vehicles joining the caravan scheduled to ferry relief items on October 19, 2009 to various provinces of Regions I, II, III and Cagayan Autonomous Region (CAR). This was in connection with the relief operation called “Sama-samang Pagtulong” organized by the DSWD together with the different government and non-government agencies relative to the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to all government agencies to help the victims of typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng.
I immediately contacted Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNCP) President/CEO Rodrigo E. Franco and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) Chairman Al Santos to waive tollways fees due to all those trucks and vehicles that joined the caravan ferrying relief goods for delivery to the victims of Pepeng, and both MNCP and BCDA quickly responded favorably to the request.
In anticipation of Ramil, the DSWD had also made arrangements with the Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, who is also the Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), for two (2) C-30’s to deliver 46,297 pounds of food and emergency items to Central Luzon (the affected towns of Bulacan and Pampanga in particular) and 46,501 pounds of relief goods to the Cordillera region (Benguet, Baguio, Kalinga, and others), including Pangasinan.
The caravan was to ferry truckloads of relief items for distribution to some 500,000 families in 19 provinces in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and the Cordilleras. The DSWD reported that 30 private and international organizations were prepared to join the relief caravan. It said that more than 1.5 million victims of Ondoy and Pepeng continue to receive government aid. Of these, 1.1 million in 222,292 families were victims of Ondoy, while 336,346 in 70,612 families were victims pf Pepeng, including those in evacuation centers.
By itself, the DSWD has given Php34.8 million worth of food and non-food items to Ondoy victims, while Php31.0 million w3orth of assistance was given to victims of Pepeng. ABS-CBN and GMA-7 have raised between them hundreds of million worth of relief goods since Ondoy struck Metro Manila last September 26, 2009 which they distributed to storms and floods sufferers.
Meanwhile, I can see the continuing efforts of Angeles City, Mabalacat and San Fernando City, and Pampanga officials and private citizens, civic groups and professional and religious groups to give donations (cash and in kind) for calamity victims. May our good God continue to bless them. May their goodly tribe increase!
Until here, see you all next week, Mabuhay!
