MVP leads ‘Tulong Kapatid’ drive for Maring’s victims

The executive director of Alagang Kapatid, Menchie Silvestre, said another truck could be dispatched asof yesterday to the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, depending on the availability of packed relief goods. She also said the truck that went to Cavite distributed goods mainly in the towns of Kawit and Rosario, while the one that was deployed to Laguna served Biñan and Santa Rosa. Alagang Kapatid had served Lower Bicutan, in Taguig; Malanday, Marikina; and San Mateo, Rizal. “Since we are doing a holistic approach to giving aid, we may also setup soup kitchens in evacuation centers, which we anticipate will be full of people seeking temporary shelter fromthe floods in their areas,” Toledo stressed.”We also have rescue and medical teams helping us to ensure the success of our ‘Tulong Kapatid’ drive.”He said PDRF and the Philippine Business for Social Progress, a nonprofit social development entity, have committed a combined P1 millionworth of relief goods for those who have trooped to the evacuation centers since Sunday night, when the weather bureau announced possible floods in some areas, owing to heavy to intense rains because of southwest monsoon enhanced by the tropical storm “Maring”, PDRF came into the fore in October 2009, when the Special National Public Reconstruction Commission (SNPRC) was created through Executive Order No. 838 issued by then ­President Gloria Macapagal­ Arroyo, following the devastation brought about by typhoons “Ondoy”, “Pepeng” and “Frank.” SNPRC was mandated to tap private ­sector resources for the reconstruction of calamity­ devastated areas. Expected to be at 680 kilometers east­ northeast of Itbayat, Batanes yesterday and at 530 kilometers of Itbayat or outside the country’s area of responsibility by today, “Maring”has killed some people, injured many, and left tens of thousands homeless in Metro Manila and at least 10 provinces. Toledo said One Meralco has provided the collection point for relief goods at the Meralco Compound on Ortigas Ave. while the North Luzon Expressway, another MVP Group company formerly known as the North Diversion Road and Manila North Expressway, helped in the transportation of relief goods. The MVP Tulong Kapatid Center started receiving donations from partners of the MVP Group and the public yesterday and will continue doing so until Aug. 23, between 12noon and 4 p.m.

Published in The Daily Tribune, page 8, 22 August 2013