SOON after the flood that inundated 90% of Pangasinan on October 10, relief operations from various sectors started and the distribution of goods is now in full swing.

Apart from the government’s relief distribution efforts, the Mary Help of Christians College Seminary in Dagupan City has been transformed into the center for relief operations of the Archdiocesan Social Action in Pangasinan (ASAP).

Msgr. Socrates B. Villegas, DD, the incoming Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, issued an appeal for the assistance and relief goods have been pouring in.

The 28 parishes and chaplaincies of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan were among those that were affected by the flood brought about by heavy rainfall from Typhoon Pepeng and the release of water from the San Roque Dam.

The Community of the Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, (more popularly known as the EDSA Shrine), one of the first groups to give to the Archdiocese, sent four truckloads of relief goods which included rice, canned goods, bottled water, clothes and slippers, noodles and more than a thousand pieces of bread.

The Diocese of Balanga, Bataan, where Villegas is presently the ordinary, donated one truckload of relief goods.

Other groups who sent help are the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan of Ateneo, the Order of Malta, Mila Drilon, Larry Murillo, and Elvira Go and company.

CALAMITY FUND

Villegas  has opened an account where donations can be sent in for the relief and rehabilitation of the most distressed areas in the archdiocese. Peso cash donations can be deposited with the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) Account No. 8081-0001-32 under the account name “Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan Calamity Fund”.

The ASAP is now drafting plans and programs to help the farmers whose crops were destroyed by the floodwaters.

A plan of action for the rehabilitation of houses for 10,000 families is also being prepared.

PANDA GROUP

The Dagupan Filipino Chinese Community Association Panda Volunteer Fire Fighting Brigade also distributed some 5,000 relief packages to flood victims in Barangay Tambac and adjacent barangays on Thursday.

Cooperating with Panda in conducting one of the biggest relief operations in the city were the other Filipino-Chinese associations in the province.  Johnson Fernandez, Panda president, hailed the other groups that made the relief operation possible.

These include the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry headed by Provincial Board Member Danilo Uy, Chinese Bible Church of the Philippines, Talayan Village in Quezon City, Kaisa Kaulalaran, Inc., and Kaisa Heritage Club.

ABS-CBN Relief

Officers, employees and stars of the ABS-CBN network, particularly the Sagip Pamilya Foundation, arrived in Mangaldan last Tuesday to deliver relief goods to the town’s flood victims.

ABS officials led by Gabby Lopez Jr. and Charo Santo-Concio and TV talk show host Kris Aquino led the distribution.

Mangaldan was one of the worst hit in the 10/9 deluge. —LM

ESPERON

Meanwhile, Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr., head of the national relief and evacuation operations, was seen braving the rampaging floodwaters to deliver relief goods to the victims in Lingayen, Manaog, Urdaneta, Asingan and Sta. Maria.

Before he settled in Rosales town where he directed rescue and evacuation operations, Esperon met with the regional and provincial disaster councils for an update on rescue and relief operations.

Esperon brought two helicopters, four rubber boats and speedboats, and big trucks to evacuate people from their homes.

His wife, Dr. Lorna Esperon, led 150 volunteers in a medical-civic mission in the towns of Rosales, San Nicolas and Natividad. — (JV)

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