TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Dec. 2 (PIA) – The Rotary Club of Tuguegarao Rainbow (RCTR) organized a soup kitchen during the onslaught of typhoon 'Ulysses' as quick response move to residents of flood-hit barangays here.
“We saw residents on the streets desperately in need of food. We immediately served kitchen-hot arrozcaldo, water, and mammon at barangay Carig Norte,” RCTR President Jinky Banusing said.
The Club also served Barangays of Linao East, West, Norte, Carig Sur, Annafunan and Gosi, which were under water during the typhoon.
“As always, we are consistent in our branding, Rotary Saves Lives,” she said.
With the donations coming in from the other Rotary Districts and International Partners, she said they will continue the disaster relief efforts to serve other affected barangay who are either still deep in flood waters or isolated barangays because of damaged roads.
“Iguig is the club’s eleventh destination this November 23. We hope to reach as far as Baggao and other northern towns in Cagayan in the coming days,” Banusing said.
She admitted that while the job is tiring, it can be fulfilling as one sees the happy faces of recipients with the relief goods on their hands.
Relief packs included five kilos of rice, canned goods, hygiene kits and other basic commodities.
“We also distributed blankets to senior citizens, brand new clothes, sanitation kits and supplies to breastfeeding mothers,” Banusing said.
Meanwhile, in Tuguegarao City, the club was able to serve 1,250 families with ready-to-eat food packs and distributed relief goods to 250 households on November 13, 14 and 15.
In Solana, Barangay Dassun, Basi West and Iraga, were recipients of 750 relief packs on November 16 and 18.
On November 17, 18, 20 and 22, Barangays Pared, Masical, Afusing, and Tupang all in Alcala town were also served 1,050 households. Rotary Club of Citadel became part of the activity at Barangay Pared.
Rotary Talavera partnered with the club at Barangay Calamagui, Amulung and Afusing in Alcala with 300 and 250 families as recipients, respectively.
On November 23, the eleventh day, the club ventured on another relief operation at Barangays Bayo, San Isidro, San Vicente, Minanga Norte in Iguig town for another 500 packs.
RCTR also extended relief operations to its neighboring town in Sta. Maria, Isabela particularly at barangay San Rafael East and West which benefited 360 households.
Francisco Villanueva, 32, from Amulung, Cagayan, one of the beneficiaries was overwhelmed by such relief goods he received from RC Tuguegarao Rainbow which, he said, can last for five days.
“Ang daming relief goods na ang natanggap ko ngayong linggo. Ako’y nagpapasalamat sa gobyerno at pribadong organisasyon na tumulong kahit papaano ay maibsan ang hirap naming at makatutulong sa aming muling bumagon (I received a lot of relief goods this week. I am grateful to the government and private organizations that helped ease our sufferings and to rise again for another tomorrow),” Villanueva said.
Rogelio Bautista, 45, from Barangay Linao in Tuguegarao City, was surprised when the flood submerged nearly all of the houses to as high as 12 feet.
The last time residents experienced such massive flooding was 48 years ago.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that as of November 23, there were 213,149 families 771,460 individuals’ affected in 1,030 barangays in region 02. Three hundred one reported damaged houses.
Agriculture succumbed to an estimated Php994,466,403.29 worth of damage to agriculture while damage to 184 national infrastructures such as roads, bridges, flood controls and other infrastructures that were placed at an estimated cost of Php 3,981,508,000.00. (BME/ADS/PIA 2-Cagayan)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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