DAVAO City’s Oplan “Tabang” delivered Thursday, November 6, some 3,000 food packs that were distributed to evacuation sites in seven villages of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur intended for affected families of the strong quakes in October.
Task Force Davao commander Colonel Consolito Yecla said that Davao City Oplan Tabang is composed of the City Mayor’s Office (CMO), Davao City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO), City Information Office (CIO), City Engineers Office (CEO), Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC), Philippine National Police (PNP), Minute Burger, Civilian Volunteers, and their unit. They all joined forces in distributing the relief goods.
“The mission of Davao City Oplan Tabang is to receive, repack and deliver relief items from the people of Davao City to the earthquake victims who needed them most, at the right time and at the right place,” Yecla said.
Oplan Tabang gathered 3,000 food packs, 214 boxes of water, 30 rolls of tarpaulin, one sack (50 pieces) of clothes, five sacks (75 pieces) of blankets, three sacks (30 pieces) of mats, three boxes of medicines, and two sacks (30 pieces).
“These relief goods will be properly checked in to the provincial EOC (emergency operations center) and Municipal EOC. The target evacuation areas have been coordinated with the EOC,” Yecla said, adding that it is in proper coordination with the 1002nd Infantry Brigade and the 39 Infantry Battalion for security purposes.
Volunteers from different civic groups, government offices, law enforcement agencies, and individuals helped to expedite the repacking of goods at Task Force Davao headquarters in Davao City. He said that they average about 200 volunteers a day.
“Many organizations called me up if I need volunteers. But most of the time we have enough walk-in already. They just arrived individually or in a group at TF Davao headquarters. We require them to register upon arrival. Then we let them choose what to repack. TFD just publish the standard for contents. If they arrive in a group, we brief them or their leader if they are organized units,” he said.
He added that this is the third wave of relief distribution that the city has conducted. The first one was in Tulunan and Makilala, North Cotabato.