TALISAY, Batangas (PIA) – First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos condoled with the families of Talisay residents who died from the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine as she distributed aid to them on Sunday.
Mrs. Marcos, along with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Bingo Plus Foundation, private partners and her LabForAll project, extended relief packs, rice, medicine kits and cash assistance to the bereaved families.
In her social media post, the First Lady thanked the DSWD and other donors “for standing by our kababayans during this difficult time.”
“Typhoon Kristine left countless families grieving the loss of their loved ones. Today, we gathered to honor those lives and to extend a helping hand to those who now face the journey of rebuilding,” Mrs. Marcos said.
“To the DSWD, Digiplus, LabForAll and all our private partners – – thank you for standing by our kababayans during this difficult time. Your compassion and dedication bring light and hope,” she added.
Joining the First Lady in the distribution of assistance were DSWD Undersecretary Pinky Romualdez, Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, Mayor Nestor Natauan, and private donors.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, in a message read by USec Romualdez, assured residents that their office will continue to provide additional resources and technical assistance.
“Our government is ready to help until you have fully recovered and returned to your normal lives. We will continue to coordinate with the local governments, Governor Mandanas, and all the mayors in Batangas to identify any additional assistance needed,” Gatchalian said in his message.
Meanwhile, Eusebio Tanco, Chairman of Digiplus Interactive whose social development arm is Bingo plus, emphasized the importance of cooperation between the government and private sector, especially during challenging times.
“This tragedy has brought profound pain, and through our assistance, we hope to provide some comfort in these challenging times. With the encouragement of the First Lady, we are contributing about Php40-million, with plans to give a substantial amount to the families who suffered the most—approximately P250,000 per family,” Tanco said.
Gov. Mandanas expressed gratitude to the First Lady for her continued support to Batangas residents as they recover from the effects of Typhoon Kristine. (CO/PIA-4A)
