MABALACAT CITY -- The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) has appealed for relief and support for fishing communities affected by Typhoon “Tisoy” (international name Kammuri) that hit the central archipelago this week.

In a statement sent to SunStar Pampanga, Pamalakaya said families of fishermen from regions of Bicol and Southern Tagalog, and Samar island who were severely affected need the government’s presence.

“We call on the national and local government units to immediately disperse aid to the fishermen and coastal population who were devastated by one of this year’s strongest typhoons,” said Fernando Hicap, chairman of Pamalakaya.

The group said the national and local governments must mobilize its rehabilitation funds to provide assistance to the fishermen and to the entire fishing community in the most affected regions.

“The government must also speed up its efforts to rehabilitate the typhoon victims in a form of economic relief and livelihood support to help the fishing families get back to their wheels of production,” Hicap, also a former Anakpawis Party-list legislator added.

Pamalakaya urged the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to check on the ground the exact figures of the typhoon’s casualties and strictly coordinate with the appropriate government agencies concerned in rehabilitation.

“We hope that how united our country are in supporting our athletes in the ongoing SEA Games, it would be as in helping the victims of Typhoon Tisoy,” he said.