MANILA, Philippines鈥擜t least 104,000 personnel from the Philippine Army donated portions of their meal allowances to aid survivors of a string of typhoons in Luzon.
Army chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana on Thursday (Dec. 17) turned over nearly P14 million to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Executive Director Ricardo Jalad. The amount would be allocated to typhoon-hit provinces like Catanduanes and Cagayan.
Sobejana thanked soldiers for their continued support for those in need. 鈥淢ay you not get tired of helping people in need because this is part of our sworn duty,鈥� he said in Filipino.
Jalad thanked the Army鈥檚 鈥済enerous gesture of solidarity to our cause to rebuild the disaster affected communities.鈥�
Soldiers have also been at the forefront of rescue and evacuation missions in areas battered by typhoons.
Recent typhoons that battered the country have prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare a state of calamity over the entire Luzon.