The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has distributed food assistance through its ChariTimba initiative to 429 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the municipalities of Camalig and Tabaco in Albay affected by the continued unrest of Mayon Volcano.
Each ChariTimba pack contains various food items, including rice, coffee, canned goods, milk, ready-to-eat meals, and other essential supplies to help families meet their daily food needs while staying in evacuation centers.
Of the total beneficiaries, 208 are from the barangays of Sua, Anoling, and Quirangay in Camalig. These include 130 from Anoling currently staying at Tagaytay Elementary School, 69 from Quirangay at the Camalig Bungkaras Evacuation Center, and nine others staying outside evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, 221 IDPs are from five barangays in Tabaco City. These include 61 from Buang staying at the Buang Evacuation Center; 88 from Magapo and 25 from Oson at the San Antonio Evacuation Center; 21 from Mariroc at the Mariroc Evacuation Center; and 26 from Buhian at the Buhian Evacuation Center.
Beneficiary Shiena Pauline Orpiana thanked the government for addressing their needs.
“I would just like to thank the government for addressing our needs here at the evacuation center, especially since we had to return here again,” she said.
She said the food assistance would help reduce their daily expenses, allowing them to allocate their money for transportation and other necessities instead of purchasing food.
“This is a big help because the money we usually spend on our daily needs can now be used for transportation. We no longer have to spend as much on food,” she said.
Orpiana also thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the government’s continued assistance to affected families.
“Many thanks to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for his continued assistance to us,” she added.
Another beneficiary, Messy Obal, also thanked the PCSO, saying the food packs would help ease their financial burden while they remain in the evacuation center.
“We are grateful to the PCSO for providing us with this kind of assistance because it is a big help to our family. We no longer have to buy these food items every day, especially since life here at the evacuation center is difficult. Even our daily activities require us to spend money,” Obal said.
Obal, whose family depends on farming for their livelihood, said the volcanic unrest has disrupted their agricultural activities, making it difficult for them to travel between their homes and farms to harvest their crops. (PNA)
