Taguig sends ‘Bayanihan Ro-Ro Mission’ to storm-hit Visayas

The local government of Taguig, in partnership with the Office of Sen. Alan Peter S. Cayetano, is set to embark on a five-day Bayanihan Ro-Ro mission to areas in Visayas heavily affected by supertyphoon Yolanda starting tomorrow, Nov. 15.

 Mayor Lani Cayetano said Taguig City is sending P7-million worth of relief goods, toiletries and medicine for the victims, while Sen. Cayetano’s office is bringing food and water, generator sets, and water filtration units to the affected areas.

 Taguig City’s relief will be distributed to the victims in Guian, Mercedes, Quinapondan, Salcedo and Gen. MacArthur, Eastern Samar, while those of Sen. Cayetano’s will be distributed in other parts of Samar and Leyte.

 “We are all aware of how big the actual needs of the people now suffering in Vasayas. We are counting on the multiplier effect of the spirit of bayanihan in all of us,” she said.

 On the day Yolanda wrought havoc in Visayas, donation boxes have been set-up in the Taguig City Hall, Taguig City University, Enderun College, Market! Market! and Slice at Bonifacio High Street to allow city government  employees as well as constituents to directly help in aiding calamity victims. Cash donations as well as clothes and other items were collected and will be distributed during the five-day mission.

 “This is the Taguigenos’ way of sympathizing with our brothers and sisters affected by the calamity. We hope it would go a long way in helping them cope with everything they have experienced.”

 The services of a Ro-Ro vessel that can carry 300 tons of cargo had been obtained for the bayanihan  mission, and it is set to leave Batangas Friday at lunch time to ferry relief goods to Isabel in Leyte and Guiuan in Eastern Samar.

 It will also provide transportation support for evacuees or those who may wish to go to Cebu and even Batangas.

 Mayor Lani likewise said they are sending 15 City Hall personnel to accompany and assist in delivering the relief goods.

 She added that Taguig sent another 10 of its personnel and some heavy equipment to Visayas in order to aid in clearing operations of typhoon-hit areas. The said city government personnel left Thursday morning.

 On the decision of the local government to focus on the five towns heavily-hit by Yolanda, Mayor Lani said it was part of a larger effort led by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to have cities in Metro Manila play a key role in relief operations in Visayas.

 “We will do all of what we can to help. What is important is that we are starting to mobilize our resources in order to respond to the distress calls of our brothers and sisters in Visayas,” she expressed.

 Earlier, the local government of Taguig has extended a donation of P1.5 million to the provincial governments of Bohol and Cebu following the recent disaster brought about by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that shook the provinces last month.

 The donation was made through a resolution passed by members of the Taguig City Council, which approved the release of P1 million as financial assistance for the province of Bohol. The P500,000 was donated to Cebu.###