Speaker Martin Romualdez personally gives aid to hundreds of Super Typhoon Egay victims at Baguio Central School covered court in Baguio City Friday morning.
SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Friday personally delivered relief and financial assistance to residents of Baguio City and Benguet affected by Super Typhoon Egay.
The fundraising efforts initiated by Romualdez, leader of the 312-strong House of Representatives, and Tingog Party-list led by Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude Acidre have already reached P218.85
million in relief goods and financial assistance as of Friday afternoon.
Despite the bad weather, the Speaker said he travelled to Baguio to heed the plea of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. for officials to ensure that aid reaches typhoon-stricken communities.
“Nagpasya ako na pumunta ngayon dito sa utos na rin ng ating mahal na Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Kadarating lang po namin mula sa Malaysia kagabi. Ang utos ng Pangulo: siguruhin na nakakarating ang tulong ng gobyerno sa lahat ng naapektuhan ng Bagyong Egay,” Romualdez told city residents at the Baguio residents gathered at the Baguio Central School.
“Ngayong araw, personal ko pong pangungunahan ang paghahatid ng tulong at relief operation dito sa Baguio City para sa mga naapektuhan ng bagyong Egay sa inyong lungsod at mga katabing lugar,” he said.
Speaker Romualdez handed cash assistance and relief goods to the camps of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Baguio City Rep. Mark Go, and Benguet Rep. Eric Yap.
“Galing po ang pondo sa personal nating kontribusyon at umaasa tayo na tutulong din ang mga kasama nating Miyembro sa House of Representatives para madagdagan pa ito. Maliit na kontribusyon ko po ito sa hangarin ng gobyerno na mabigyan ang mabilis na ayuda ang mga naapektuhan ng kalamidad,” he said.
He also turned over P3-million worth of relief goods to Magalong, Go and Yap for distribution to affected residents.
“Mabilis din po ang ating ugnayan sa Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) kaya hatid natin ngayon ang ayuda mula sa Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations o AICS program ng ahensiya,” Speaker Romualdez said.
He said Congress made sure that the AICS program has sufficient funds for prompt distribution to victims of calamities and people in distress.
The highest ranking House leader said while he was with the President in Malaysia meeting with Malaysian officials and businessmen, he has called House members in other districts affected by the typhoon to ask them to assess the damage in their areas and to deliver relief and financial assistance.
He told Baguio City residents that he shares the pain and suffering they are going through because that’s what he felt when super typhoon Yolanda caused widespread devastation and deaths in Leyte and other parts of Eastern Visayas in 2013.
“Pero alam ko pong malalampasan natin ang lahat ng paghihirap. Hindi kayo nag-iisa. Alam po ng buong bansa ang sitwasyon ninyo ngayon dito. Maliban sa pag-aalay ng dasal, lahat ay nagtutulong-tulong para makapag-abot ng ayuda sa lahat ng nasalanta ng bagyo.
Huwag po kayong panghinaan ng loob. Narito ang gobyerno para umalalay sa inyo. Sama-sama at nagkakaisa, ibabangon namin kayo,” he said.
Earlier, Romualdez had called for calm amidst the devastation brought by Super Typhoon Egay to many provinces in Northern Luzon, saying that the national government will do everything in its power to provide assistance to typhoon victims.
“President Marcos is doing everything he can to assist, help and provide assistance to Super Typhoon Egay victims. We want to make sure that at this time of extreme need, the people should feel that their government is with them,” Speaker Romualdez said.
P43.85 million of the P218.85 million raised comes from Speaker Romualdez’s personal calamity fund, raised partly from contributions from friends during his birthday celebration last year. The other P175 million will come from DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program under Sec. Rex Gatchalian.
