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Giant food firm, soldiers bring aid to S. Leyte typhoon victims

By Sarwell Meniano

December 31, 2021, 4:29 pm

<p><strong>SMC-ARMY TEAM-UP</strong>. Soldiers are onboard trucks loaded with relief goods from San Miguel Corporation on Thursday (Dec. 30, 2021). The giant food firm and the military have worked together to bring these goods to badly affected areas by Typhoon Odette in Southern Leyte. <em>(Photo courtesy of Maasin city government)</em></p>

SMC-ARMY TEAM-UP. Soldiers are onboard trucks loaded with relief goods from San Miguel Corporation on Thursday (Dec. 30, 2021). The giant food firm and the military have worked together to bring these goods to badly affected areas by Typhoon Odette in Southern Leyte. (Photo courtesy of Maasin city government)

TACLOBAN CITY – San Miguel Corporation (SMC), the Philippine Army, and local governments have collaborated to bring relief goods to areas hard hit by Typhoon "Odette" in Southern Leyte.

This after a Philippine Navy vessel carrying thousands of boxes of corned beef, canned tuna, luncheon meat, and coffee arrived on Thursday at the port of Maasin City, the capital of Southern Leyte province.

Troopers from the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade and local government workers unloaded these boxes of goods at Saint Joseph College for those allocated in Maasin City, and at the Southern Leyte provincial gymnasium for those intended to severely devastated towns.

“The Joint Task Force “Bulig (help) Leyte” is closely coordinating and readily assist the recipient local government units in the distribution of the said donated food items to the affected families and individuals, " said Brig. Gen. Zosimo Oliveros, commander of 802nd Infantry Brigade in a statement issued late Thursday.

In a separate statement, Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado thanked the generosity of SMC to the typhoon victims.

“This endeavor will help ease the sufferings of our people hardly affected by this typhoon," Mercado said.

In its social media post, SMC said they have dispatched truckloads of food worth almost PHP30 million for Typhoon Odette victims in Visayas and Mindanao.

"We continue to work with the local government to ensure we reach all affected communities. While much still needs to be done to rebuild from this crisis, we have no doubt that together, we will succeed," the SMC said in a statement issued earlier.

Typhoon Odette ravaged Southern Leyte and other parts of the country on December 16, flattening coastal communities and rendering thousands of families homeless. (PNA)


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