Pampanga donates coffins to ‘Pablo’ victims

STO. TOMAS, Pampanga, Philippines – With more than 400 already confirmed dead in the wake of typhoon “Pablo” in Mindanao, the major coffin manufacturing industry in this town is working  at full capacity to fill in the shortage in the devastated areas.

“We delivered about 110 wooden coffins to Villamor air base last Thursday and more are being sought by the provincial government and the Pampanga Mayors’ League (PML) to help the affected areas,” Edwin Manalese, municipal administrator, told The STAR.

Another 240 coffins were brought to Villamor at 4 p.m. yesterday and flown by the Philippine Air Force to the worst hit areas in Davao and Compostela Valley.

“Gov. Lilia Pineda and the mayors have pooled resources to purchase the coffins from our commercial and backyard manufacturers who are now working in shifts to produce more,” Manalese said.

He said the coffins to be brought to Mindanao were made of wood and sold at a special manufacturer’s price of P2,500 to P3,000 each.

He said there are about 50 commercial and backyard manufacturers in this town, with the latter doing sub-contracting jobs for the commercial makers.

In the aftermath of typhoon “Sendong” last year, the local government and the PML sent 500 coffins for victims in Cagayan de Oro City.