By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), along with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Air Force (PAF), on Sunday airlifted some 2,500 “ChariTimba” relief packages on board a C-130 aircraft intended for families severely affected by recent flooding in Maguindanao del Sur.
“Following instructions from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., agencies coordinated closely to deliver assistance to the affected communities. The operation involved multiple government departments working together to ensure the relief reached those in need as quickly as possible,” the OCD said in a media statement.
It added that this deployment highlights the government’s commitment to providing immediate aid to those affected by recent severe flooding.
The OCD, guided by Defense Secretary and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Chair Gilberto Teodoro Jr., coordinated with the PAF to use military air assets for transportation.
“Leading the effort were PCSO General Manager Mel Robles and OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, along with Assistant Secretaries Cesar Idio and Jekereen Joy Casipit.
The officials personally supervised the loading of relief supplies, which include rice, canned goods, instant noodles, and bottled water, from Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
These packages, called “ChariTimba,” constitute the second wave of assistance following an initial distribution of 1,000 food packs on Saturday, the OCD said.
In the same statement, Robles emphasized the PCSO’s readiness to help, saying they are always on alert for these kinds of incidents.
“The OCD is with us in this. And this has always been the directive of our President — to be always alert and ready to help our affected fellow Filipinos,” the PCSO official said.
While there are logistical challenges, Robles assured the public that they are ready to provide assistance any time as they already have arrangements with their supplies and warehouses, adding that they are prepared to deliver these supplies when needed.
“We want to assure our fellow Filipinos that the President is on top of the situation. He consistently directs us to utilize all available resources. We are a smaller agency, which allows us to respond faster, and we are working closely with the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development,” Robles said.
Meanwhile, Nepomuceno said the 2,500 relief packages from the PCSO are more than enough, as there are only an estimated 1,639 affected families.
“The 2,500 relief packs from PCSO will almost certainly reach all of them,” the OCD chief said.
Nepomuceno also said there are 149 flood-affected areas, and their initial deliveries are focused on the main areas, particularly the communities and evacuation centers.
“For isolated areas that cannot be reached by land vehicles, we are requesting assistance from the Armed Forces of the Philippines for airlifting when necessary,” he added.
For remote barangays, Nepomuceno said they will tap the local government units’ (LGUs) help to deliver aid to the victims.
Nepomuceno said efforts will continue to reach affected communities in collaboration government offices, the Armed Forces, and local governments to help Filipinos recover and rebuild. (PNA)
