The Cebu City government brings relief goods to the victims of Typhoon Ursula in Daanbantayan on Saturday, December 28. | Photo from the Cebu City PIO Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippine — While several homes in Daanbantayan town, northern Cebu, lost their roofs to the violent winds of Typhoon Ursula on Christmas eve, the city government of Cebu distributed 300 pieces of galvanized iron sheets to the typhoon victims in Barangay Maya Saturday, December 28.
Personnel from the Cebu city government and the volunteers from the Walk and Talk Friendship Club went with Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella in distributing the relief assistance to the typhoon victims.
Loaded in at least three trucks with the sign “Oplan Tabang,” the city also distributed 200 sacks of rice, 2000 pieces of tarpaulin (waterproof canvass), 195 boxes of bottled water, 2000 pieces of 1-liter bottled water, and 400 loaves of bread.
“Bisan pa man og daghan nga mga balay ang nadaot, intact gihapon ang pamilya sa Pasko ug Bag-ong Tuig. Magpasalamat gihapon ta,” Labella told the residents in his speech posted in the Cebu City Public Information Office (PIO).
(Even though several homes were damaged, our families are still intact for Christmas and New Year. Let us still be thankful for that.)
Read: State of calamity to be declared in Daanbantayan town
Read: Ursula damages Daanbantayan’s ‘disaster-resilient’ homes
In times of calamity, Labella said the city government should not only limit its watch and response to its areas within the city but also to its neighboring communities.
“Naa mi diri tungod sa gitawag nato sa inenglis og humanitarian consideration ug sa atong pagkakristiyano nga kung kinsa ang naginahanglan atong tabangan,” Labella said.
(We are here because of what we call in English as humanitarian consideration and the Christian value of extending our hands to those who need it.)
“I am thankful for all the sacrifices. To our workers in the city for all the efforts in making this happen, and to my fellow members in the Walk and Talk Friendship Club for sacrificing their weekend just to join us in the distribution and for all their donations,” Mayor Labella said./dbs