Twelve volunteers from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office spent New Year in Cebu province as they continue to conduct clearings operations as well as provide clean and potable water to typhoon-affected communities.
Of the twelve MDRRMO volunteers, six were already in Cebu before Christmas – making it a first for them to spend the holiday season away from their families to answer to the call of duty.
Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso earlier thanked city hall employees and MDRRMO volunteers who provided their time and effort to help in the relief efforts and clearing operations in areas devastated by Typhoon “Odette” which slammed Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao almost two weeks ago.
Domagoso was in Cebu City a day after Typhoon Odette’s fury and saw for himself the devastation that the province suffered.
Aside from the boxes of medicine and vitamins, the 47-year-old local chief executive also handed cash assistance worth P2 million to Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia as well as to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
Domagoso would later deploy a 16-man team from the MDRRMO to help in the clearing operations and provide clean and potable water using the two units of water purification machines.
“I see that other LGUs (local government units) are having a hard time because of the fallen poles. I really thank the staff of the city hall because they also spent Christmas there. They could no longer return to their families in Manila. But they are happy that our compatriots in Cebu appreciated our small effort. We have to help. We need to help each other. God is merciful, as much as we can, we will help,” Domahoso said.
The majority of the MDRRMO team members are volunteer-firemen who even brought their own fire truck which they used in distributing water for bathing and washing of clothes.
Domagoso’s wife, Diana Lynn, together with other volunteers from the City of Manila also went to Bohol and Antique to hand over relief goods consisting of food packs and bottled water to affected residents as part of “Operation Tabang” of Team Isko Moreno.
Similar “Operation Tabang” was conducted in Kabankalan City and the municipality of Hinoba-an in Negros Occidental.
Relief operations were also undertaken in Negros Oriental by Team Isko Moreno volunteers. Food packs and bottled water were distributed to residents in Barangay Cambagahan in Bais City.