MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Presidential frontrunner Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr. has activated the UniTeam鈥檚 relief operations team to immediately bring help to the victims of Typhoon Agaton in Visayas and Mindanao.
This developed as the UniTeam鈥檚 legal team said it is now readying necessary documents to secure exemption before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make sure that the relief mission is compliant with the provisions of the Omnibus Election law.
Agaton has already affected some 38,399 families from 106 different barangays in Regions 10, 11, Caraga and BARMM.
Flooding and heavy rainfall brought about by Agaton in resulted in one reported death so far in the Davao region.
One person has also been reported missing in Region 11.
Marcos said that as much as he wanted to immediately send relief goods to the affected areas, he was constrained by the existing election laws that prohibit those running for public office to hand over any forms of help lest they be accused of vote buying.
鈥淗umihingi po ako ng pasensya sa ating mga kababayan dahil hindi kami agad makapagpadala ng mga tulong bagamat nakahanda naman tayo, kaya lang ay tali ang ating kamay dahil nga sa mga batas na may kaugnayan sa halalan,鈥� Marcos said.
鈥淧ero huwag kayong mag-alala, sisiguruhin namin na darating kami agad para magpa-abot ng tulong sa lahat ng mga apektado nating mga kababayan,鈥� he added.
Flooding has also so far displaced 23,841 families with 3,228 families or 11,264 persons now staying at 52 evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, Marcos appealed to his supporters in the affected areas to momentarily veer away from campaigning and instead shift to distribution of relief goods to affected families.
鈥淚santabi muna natin ang pulitika, unahin natin ang pangangailangan ng mga tao na naapektuhan ng kalamidad,鈥� Marcos said in a statement as he also called his supporters to donate to the typhoon victims.
Marcos was in Samar and Leyte last April 8 to 9 where he conducted hugely successful campaign sorties before the provinces were hit by the typhoon.
To recall, the UniTeam was also instrumental last December in series of relief operations to help victims of Super Typhoon Odette in Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, Cebu, and Southern Leyte.
The UniTeam relief operations, which managed to reach eight provinces from December 19 to 20, delivered millions worth of construction materials for the repair of damaged houses and several thousands of bags of rice intended for distribution to the typhoon victims.
The UniTeam gave financial assistance and relief goods to thousands of residents of typhoon-stricken areas such as Maasin City, Southern Leyte, Butuan City, Bohol, Cebu, Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte, Roxas City in Capiz, Masbate, and Negros Occidental.
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