EGAY'S WRATH. Rescuers continue evacuation works in Santa Ana town, Cagayan province even as Typhoon Egay starts to veer away from the province on July 26, 2023. The office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and the Tingog Party-list on Thursday (July 27) allocated and arranged the release of a total of PHP128.5 million in relief goods and financial assistance to typhoon victims in Northern Luzon. (Photo courtesy of MDRRMO-Santa Ana)
MANILA – Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and the Tingog Party-list have allocated and arranged the release of a total of PHP128.5 million in relief goods and financial assistance to victims of Super Typhoon Egay in Northern Luzon.
Of the PHP128.5 million, PHP23.5 million will come from Romualdez’s personal calamity fund, raised partly from contributions from friends during his birthday celebration last year.
The remaining PHP105 million will be released from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development under Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
According to a news release from the Speaker’s office, the assistance will be released starting Thursday.
“We hope the aid will ease the pain and suffering of our people who are affected by the super howler,” Romualdez said, as he urged the people of the north to keep safe amid the lingering threat of heavy rains, flooding and landslide as Egay moves away from the country.
He also urged concerned agencies and local government units to undertake road and infrastructure repairs as soon as weather permits.
Tingog Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez said the relief and financial assistance “symbolizes the compassion of the House leadership and its commitment to help our people in distress.”
“We hope our kababayan (countrymen) in the north and their communities are able to recover fast from this adversity,” she said.
The allocation of the relief and financial assistance is as follows:
-- Ilocos Norte, 1st District (represented by Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos): PHP1 million cash assistance, PHP2 million relief goods (5,000 packs), and PHP10 million AICS.
-- Ilocos Sur, 2nd District (Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson-Meehan): PHP1 million cash, PHP2 million relief goods (5,000 packs), and PHP10 million AICS.
-- Cagayan, 1st District (Rep. Ramon C. Nolasco Jr.): PHP2 million cash, PHP4 million relief goods (10,000 packs), and PHP20 million AICS.
-- Cagayan, 2nd District (Rep. Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso): PHP1 million cash assistance, PHP4 million relief goods (10,000 food packs), and PHP20 million AICS.
-- Ilocos Sur, 1st District (Rep. Ronald V. Singson): PHP5 million AICS.
-- Cagayan, 3rd District (Rep. Joseph “Jojo” L. Lara): PHP1million cash, PHP1 million in relief goods (2,500 food packs), and PHP10 million AICS.
-- Benguet, Lone District (Rep. Eric Go Yap): PHP10 million in AICS, PHP500,000 in cash assistance, and PHP1 million worth of relief goods (2,500 food packs).
-- Baguio City (Rep. Mark O. Go): PHP500,000 cash, PHP1 million in relief goods (2,500 food packs), and PHP10 million in AICS.
-- Baguio City (Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong): PHP500,000 cash assistance, PHP1 million relief goods (1,250 food packs), and PHP10 million AICS.
Call for calm
In the meantime, Romualdez called for calm amidst the devastation brought by Egay to many provinces in Northern Luzon.
In a separate statement, he pointed out that the national government will do everything in its power to provide assistance to typhoon victims.
“President Marcos is doing everything he can to assist, help and provide assistance to Super Typhoon Egay victims. We want to make sure that at this time of extreme need, the people should feel that their government is with them,” he said.
“We have already raised funds for relief, and we are trying to raise more. We expressed gratitude to all first responders. What is important is we help bring back the lives of victims to normalcy,” he added.
Romualdez is set to visit Friday parts of the affected areas of the typhoon when he arrives from Malaysia to personally see the devastation wrought by Egay and join relief operations. (PNA)
