GMA: This Christmas, help victims of typhoons

President Arroyo delivered yesterday an early Christmas message, calling on all Filipinos to help victims of calamities "with heartfelt compassion and generosity."

She said this should be a time for "sharing and caring for those in direst need."

Mrs. Arroyo earlier sent off a caravan of relief goods and other aid to the victims of typhoon "Reming" in Bicol and thanked the international community for providing help as well.

In her message, the President said the country’s condition is getting better and more stable because of God’s grace.

"The dawning of the year, it will come together in the mighty grace of the Lord," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo said the reforms implemented by the government were already bearing fruit and result in better services for the people.

"We can expect more investments and jobs in the coming days as we continue our fight against poverty," she said. "This is our mission: To build prosperity for the greatest number of our people."

The President said she would pray for more blessings for everyone in the new year.

On Thursday, Mrs. Arroyo and her allies backed down on the issue of Charter change (Cha-cha) to be able to focus more on other matters.

Officials said the Cha-cha was causing too much divisiveness among the people and that it was not yet the right time to push for it.

"Philippine democracy will always find the proper time and opportunity for Charter reform at a time when the people deem it ripe and needful, and in the manner they deem proper," Mrs. Arroyo said.

She added that "it is time to gather together all the energies of our people for the continuing work ahead — maintaining our economic strength, ensuring the social payback of economic reforms, and helping distressed communities back to their feet."

Mrs. Arroyo also decided to postpone the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit and other leaders’ meetings in Cebu on Dec. 10 to 14 because of typhoon "Seniang" and to be able to concentrate on attending to the needs of the calamity victims.

Relief efforts are aggressive in Albay, as the "sharing and caring caravan" from Metro Manila and other parts of the country, as well as international relief organizations continued to distribute relief goods.

Much-needed medicines and materials for constructing shelters for the homeless were brought by the caravan and the relief organizations’ workers.

The Metro Manila Development Authority and other volunteer engineering teams are helping to clear the Bicol region’s streets of debris scattered by Reming, as well as repair damaged infrastructure and restore electricity.

According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, a total of 18,377 families displaced by Reming are still seeking refuge in evacuation centers. DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral said the evacuation

centers were located in the provinces of Laguna, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Sorsogon.

In Albay province, the identified resettlement sites are in Anislag, Daraga; Banquerohan, Legaspi City; and San Andres, Sto. Domingo.

Some 700 evacuation sites were set up for the typhoon victims but the number of evacuation camps now stands at 488 after many of the evacuees returned home or sought shelter with relatives.