Bicol donor brings truckloads of rice to typhoon-ravaged Southern Leyte
LEGAZPI CITY––Some 25,000 kilos of premium rice in two truckloads from the Bicol region were delivered Thursday, Dec. 23, to hundreds of residents affected by Typhoon “Odette” (international name: Rai) in Southern Leyte.
The rice arrived in the provincial capital Maasin City and was received by Mayor Nikko Mercado. It would be distributed to families rendered homeless by the typhoon, according to Ako Bicol Party-list (AKB), which donated the staple.
AKB Rep. Zaldy Co said they prioritized Southern Leyte since the province is the Bicol region’s “friendly neighbor” and deserved help along with other areas devastated by the typhoon.
The partylist was also among the first to bring assistance to Leyte and Samar after Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) battered these provinces on Nov. 8, 2013, the strongest typhoon to hit land in the Philippines, leaving more than 7,360 people dead or missing.
AKB initiated a humanitarian mission by sending 20 dump trucks and heavy equipment for road clearing operations, fuel tankers, including 19 electricians, mechanics, and cooks to help in the province’s recovery efforts.
