Aid reaches areas hit by Ruby

CEBU, Philippines - Relief goods from the provincial government were finally transported to Bantayan Island yesterday.

After Cebu was cleared of any storm signal, the Philippine Coast Guard also allowed three truckloads of relief goods transported on board a barge.

The relief goods would be distributed to the towns of Santa Fe, Bantayan, and Madridejos.

Each truck contains 150 sacks of rice with 15 packs per sack, 150 sacks of assorted goods (noodles, canned goods) with 20 packs per sack, and 50 boxes of mineral water with 12 1-liter bottles per box, the Provincial Information Office reported.

Transporting the relief goods from the mainland to the islands became a challenge for the responding team over the weekend since vessels were prohibited from crossing the sea due to typhoon Ruby.

Rose Jao, Assistant Officer-in-charge of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, said the province had prepositioned goods on Friday in Bogo City and Argao as augmentation for relief efforts of local government units.

A total of 300 sacks of rice, 200 boxes of sardines, 139 boxes of noodles, and 210 boxes of bottled water (500ml) were stocked in Bogo City while 200 sacks of rice, 120 assorted canned goods, 125 bottled water (500ml), and 139 boxes of noodles were readied in Argao.

More aid

The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 also has at least 12,441 food packs ready to be distributed to northern Cebu and Eastern Samar areas hit by Ruby.

Of this number, 7,912 are already at the Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City to be lifted to the target areas.

DSWD also has 852 registered volunteers who helped in packing the relief goods at the Cebu International Convention Center. The agency also has warehouses at the Petrone in Barangay Subangdaku in Mandaue City and at the Sacred Heart in General Maxilom Extension in Cebu City.

“All volunteers were briefed on what to do and how to pack the foods kay usually ang atong problema naa sa packing kay usahay luag pagkahigot unya we never know the handling kay wala na man tay hold ana,” Christine Escolano, DSWD Training Specialist, said.

For health reasons, Melinda Cañares, DSWD nutritionist and dietitian, advised those who want to donate not to give clothes, milk formula, and feeding bottles.

Kerstine Rasmussen, a tourist from Denmark, was one of those who helped packed goods. She is set to fly back to her country tomorrow.

“It is good that everyone is coming to help…students, workers, and many...this is my first time and I also encourage others to do whatever they can to help,” she said.

Even children lent a hand, like an eight-year-old boy from Inayawan, Cebu City who went to the repacking center in Consolacion with their guardians.

The Cebu City government, too, will be sending relief goods and financial and logistical aid to Ruby-battered towns in the province and in Leyte and Samar.

 Mayor Michael Rama said the amount determined depending on the damage assessment of DSWD.

 “We will concentrate our help to the areas near to us like the Province of Cebu and, Leyte and Samar,” he said.

 He said it is possible that the amount will be the same as what the city donated last year – P6 million for northern Cebu and P6 million for neighboring regions.

 The city might also give financial aid to Palo in Leyte, its adopted town, and provide equipment and machinery for the construction of houses.

Rama said the city is also considering adopting Dolores town in Eastern Samar where the typhoon first made landfall Saturday.

 Rama said the assistance will be given as soon as possible.

Despite these plans, Rama said the city government is not pulling its attention away from the damage, no matter how slight, to Cebu City itself. “Naigo ang Bantayan, Medellin and uban pang lugar but we should not also forget na naigo pud ta labi na sa mountain barangays,” he said.

Local disaster council chairman Councilor David Tumulak said they have readied 100 local response personnel to help in efforts in areas hit by typhoon Ruby.

Power restored

Also yesterday, Governor Hilario Davide III announced that electricity has been restored in the main population areas in the municipalities of San Remigio, Compostela, Carmen, Catmon, Sogod, Borbon and Tabogon and the city of Danao in northern Cebu. Sub-stations have also been energized.

“I have been informed by CEBECO that power lines along the highway in the northern municipalities damaged by typhoon Ruby have been re-energized,” Davide said.

“The poblacion areas of Bogo, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Tuburan and Tabuelan are expected to have power tonight (last night),” Davide added.

Rehabilitation work on the rest of the localities where electric power was cut off during the typhoon s still ongoing.  (FREEMAN)