MANILA, Philippines — The city of Borongan, Eastern Samar on Tuesday sent assistance to Siargao in Surigao del Norte in what the local government said was so far the city's biggest relief operation.
According to the Borongan City Information Office, the city sent food and construction materials on two fishing vessels headed for General Luna on Siargao Island, one of the areas worst hit by the strongest typhoon this year.
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"This is our way to reach out to the victims of the Super Typhoon Odette. Like Siargao and most of the severely affected places in the Visayas and Mindanao, we've been hit by strong typhoons before. We, Boronganons, know how hard it is to recover so we are doing our part," Mayor Jose Agda said in the release.
The fishing boats, which owner Erwin Enson lent to the city government with no charge, were loaded with 2,000 corrugated sheets, 25 tarp rolls, 100 slim jugs of purified water, 20 boxes of umbrella nails, 2,000 loaves of bread, and 200 sacks of rice, the city PIO said. The aid will be turned over to the local government of General Luna.
Borongan City was among the first to respond to the destruction brought by Odette by sending sacks of rice to Maasin City in Southern Leyte and to Inopacan, Leyte.
Apart from solidarity, Borongan and Siargao are also linked by surfing. The City of Borongan has hosted two national surfing competitions that the Siargao surfing community participated in.
"They (Siargao community) have been our guests for the past years for the Surf in the City competition, and this is to show sympathy that we are not only united in surfing alone, but also in other things especially in this crisis," Agda said.