“SA PAMAMAGITAN po ng inyong tulong maipapadama ninyo ang tunay na malasakit at pagmamahal sa mga Batangueno.”

Thus said Lito Castro, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer of Batangas as he welcomed and received the donations from the people of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga on Saturday.

Castro, whose father is from Candaba in Pampanga, extended his gratitude to the efforts of the City Mayor Edwin Santiago thru the assistance of the City Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Office.

“Ipinapaabot ko po ang aming lubos na pasasalamat sa butihing mayor ng Siyudad San Fernando, sa bumubuo ng City Council, sa tanggapan ng CDRRMO, at sa lahat ng mamamayan ng San Fernando. Ang inyong ipinaabot na tulong ay napakalaki nang impact sa amin. Ito po ay itutulong natin sa mga pamilyang lubhang naapektuhan, nadisplace, nawalan ng bahay at hanap-buhay,” Castro said.

Meanwhile, Raymond Del Rosario, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRM) Officer, said that the initiative was a way of giving back to Batangas, which was one of the cities who also aided the province of Pampanga during the Pinatubo eruption.

“Bilang Fernandinos, kilala tayo na tumutulong, lalo na sa mga kababayan at kapwa nating Pilipino. Also, alam din kasi natin yung hirap nila kasi naranasan na natin yun nung sumabog ang Bulkang Pinatubo noong 1991 and 1995. So, it’s a way of giving back.”

The officer, who led the donation drive, also gave credits to all partners, like the Parents Teachers Association’s ‘Tulong Para Sa Taal Victims Drive’, schools, businesses, and officials of the city government, who helped them gather goods worth P1.8 million and two truckloads of clothes.

The goods and clothes were delivered to the Provincial Sports Complex in Barangay Bolbok, Batangas City.

San Fernando will also give cash assistance to the municipality of Agoncillo.

For his part, Mayor Santiago expressed his delight and gratitude to all Fernandinos who gave their donations for the Taal victims.

“I am so happy to see all Fernandinos showing solidarity and brotherhood especially in times of disaster and difficulty. We give because we know their situation. We experienced what they are experiencing now. So, thank you to Fernandinos who shared whatever they have to the victims, to our co-Filipinos,” the mayor said. (PR)