by Earl O. Condeza
Davao Today
DAVAO CITY—Nuns, students and rights advocates under Balsa Mindanao (Bulig Alang sa Mindanao) left the city at 6am today enroute to Leyte to conduct their second wave of relief and rehabilitation assistance for Typhoon Yolanda survivors.
The 80-person contingent, who traveled to Surigao City and is expected to leave early morning Wednesday to Leyte, comprised of priests, pastors, nuns, doctors, students and social workers.
They brought construction materials aside from fresh food and other relief packs to give attention to the rehabilitation needs of the survivors.
“There are also food and clothing but the bulk of what we brought are materials that the victims need for rehabilitation,” said Balsa Mindanao spokesperson Sr. Noemi Degala.
Balsa Mindanao brought galvanized iron sheets for roofing and nails intended for 160 households as well as 3000 kilos of fresh of fresh vegetables and vegetable seeds.
“We brought seedlings so that they could plant to sustain their need for nutritious foods,” Degala said.
Degala said they plan to meet with People Surge, an alliance of Yolanda survivors who marched last week to slam “slow” government aid in the storm-stricken islands.
She laments, “We are in solidarity with them because, even up to now, after all the financial and logistical support supposedly given to Yolanda-hit areas, they remain victims. They are now victims of corruption and substandard government aid.”
Balsa plans to go to six barangays of San Joaquin town, in Palo town- Brgys Cabarasan, San Agustin, Capirawan, and seven barangays in Tacloban city—Brgy. Abucay, Brgy 37, Brgy 1 and 7, sitio Dam, Naganaga, and Sampaguita. (davaotoday.com)
balsa mindanao, central philippines, people surge, philippines, tacloban, typhoon haiyan, Typhoon Yolanda, Typhoon Yolanda rehabilitation, visayas
