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Thursday, December 07, 2006
Pampanga officials launch aid drive for typhoon victims
By Dante M. Fabian and Marna H. Dagumboy
ANGELES CITY -- Recalling the tragic disaster that befell Pampanga province 15 years ago, Kapampangan leaders on Tuesday conducted a massive relief campaign to help thousands of Bicolanos who bore the brunt of super typhoon Reming.
"The scenes of destruction and despair in Bicol that we see on television and read in the papers relive in us our own tragic experience during the Mt. Pinatubo calamity and the subsequent lahar attacks in 1991," said Ed Pamintuan, chairman of the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development (Scad) Council.
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had declared a state of calamity in Bicol in the aftermath of the storm, which triggered a massive flow of mud and rocks engulfing villages downstream.
"Just as then, when our countrymen selflessly came to our support, we are now given the opportunity to repay our debt of gratitude through our own generous donations for the benefit of the victims of typhoon Reming," Pamintuan said.
The Scad Council, Clark Development Corporation (CDC), Rotary Club of Angeles (Mother Club), and Angeles City "Kuliat" Jaycees Inc. launched a "telethon" televised for free over local cable TV station ACCTN to solicit relief donation for the calamity-stricken Bicol region.
"Even before the start of our telethon, we have already received generous pledges of donations from duty free shops inside Clark, namely from Parkson's Duty Free Shop and Puregold Duty Free Shop," said Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales.
"Parkson's and Puregold have even promised to assist us in ensuring the immediate delivery of their donation to the Bicolanos," said the mayor, who added that the duty free shops at Clark have started packing relief goods consisting of imported canned goods, clothes, towels and basic household items such as water containers and cooking utensils.
The emergency delivery of relief donation to Bicol is expected to take longer than the average 12-hour journey by land to the region, according to local businessman Jose Flores.
Pamintuan said the donation for the typhoon victims will be handed over to the Bicol Mayors League led by its president, Guinobatan, Albay Mayor Juan Garcia.
He said Garcia personally called him to appeal for help from Kapampangans.
"Mayor Garcia said they would need all the help they could get as the extent of damage and suffering caused by the typhoon could equal the destruction wrought by Mt. Pinatubo's eruption," said Pamintuan.
Pampanga Second District Board Member Lilia Pineda and Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda flew to the area and distributed some 6,000 packs of relief goods in response to the call for aid.
The Pinedas distributed cans of sardines, noodles, sacks of rice and clothing. They recalled a similar situation during the desperate days of Pampangueños when Mt. Pinatubo battered the province from mudflow.
Reming swooped over Southern Luzon and Bicol last week and displaced thousands of people in Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Marinduque.
Mudflows from Mayon volcano buried eight villages in Albay and killed 543 people with over 2,000 people reported injured or missing. Officials said the death toll could exceed 1,000.
Damage in property was estimated at P608,350,867, infrastructure at P357,350,000 and agriculture P251,000,867. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. (December 7, 2006 issue)
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