A DONATION drive initiated by the House of Representatives has so far gathered P26.3 million worth of various relief goods and P49.2 million in cash, including pledges, for victims of the most recent typhoon to hit the country, the House leader said on Wednesday.
“We need all the help that we can get, we already reached many affected families nationwide and we vow to bring the remaining aid to the affected families as soon as possible,” House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said in a statement.
He said they partnered with Social Welfare Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo for the relief mission, wherein beneficiaries will also receive aid through the department’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program.
The in-kind donations include food items, blankets, and toiletries.
Tropical Storm Nalgae, locally named Paeng, swept through a wide area of the Philippines, affecting more than 3.18 million people, based on latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Assistance provided by the national and local governments and other institutions has reached at least P71.59 million, according to the council report as of Nov. 2. — Matthew Carl L. Montecillo