Presidential aspirants Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel Villar yesterday mobilized their supporters to assist in relief operations for victims of typhoon “Ondoy.”
Aquino and running-mate Manuel Roxas II cut short their consultation sorties in Mindanao to fly back to Metro Manila.
“Funds from the Piso-piso para Kay Noynoy will be used to buy relief goods for the victims of Ondoy,” Aquino said at the Chapel of the Configuration in Malaybalay, Bukidnon.
Aquino and Roxas have converted their headquarters in Expo Centro in Farmers Market in Cubao, Quezon City into a relief operations center.
They met their supporters in Expo Centro upon their arrival to mobilize more volunteers and collect more relief goods.
“Let us join together and gather what we can to help the victims of typhoon Ondoy,” Aquino said.
Aquino and Roxas also launched Operation Tulong Bayan as they urged supporters and volunteers to set aside political work and focus on relief efforts.
Aquino and Roxas, along with former Senate President Franklin Drilon, visited the Tatalon area in Marikina , among the hardest hit by floods, to distribute relief goods.
Emergency and rescue teams deployed Saturday afternoon by Villar have brought to safety at least 1,300 victims of flooding, his office said.
The victims were rescued from submerged homes, flooded streets and places of work and ferried by trucks to safe areas.
Twenty-six large trucks were initially sent to flood-affected areas in Metro Manila and in Cainta and Antipolo City in Rizal. Five more large trucks were deployed yesterday afternoon, Villar’s office said.
Food rations were also delivered to evacuation centers.
Villar said the next challenge was to bring food and dry clothing fast to victims who were still stranded at the rooftops of their homes.
He said vehicles at distribution centers were on standby to help deliver food rations and donations.
“We’re coordinating with other government agencies and are making our large trucks and other vehicles available to help in the delivery of food to flood victims,” Villar said.
The rescue and relief efforts of Villar are being coordinated by a Typhoon Crisis Center located at the Worldwide Corporate Center in Mandaluyong.
