Rotary Club of Manila Holds Relief Operations for Victims of Super Typhoon Odette

It was another fulfilling day of being a Rotarian. This started with RCManila Foundation, Inc. EA Sol Encarnacion assisted by her husband, Egay, who both worked hand in hand under DE/Dir. Albert Alday in the procurement of items that the Rotary Club of Manila will be donating to Odette Typhoon victims. DE/Dir. Albert Alday, Egay Encarnacion, Star Rotarians Xavy Zialcita, Inov Talusan and myself met at Hotel 101 to start labeling the donations for Odette typhoon victims. Hotel 101 Pasay graciously allowed the use of the hotel lobby as a storage area for 2,000 pieces of blankets, 2,000 pieces of woven mats and 2,400 pairs of slippers. The Philippine Coast Guard assisted in unloading these items from the supplier’s truck and loading them to Star Rotarian Teddy Tee’s Power Steel truck.

PE/PVP Hermie Esguerra, Star Rotarians Inov Talusan, Xavy Zialcita, myself with the Philippine Coast Guard started loading the 33 sacks of the blanket, 167 sacks of the woven mat and 8 oversize sacks of slippers at 2 p.m. Then we went on a convoy led by PE/PVP Hermie Esguerra to the Philippine Navy Headquarters where we met with President. Chito Zaldarriaga and DE/PD Raffy Alunan for the ceremonial handover with Philippine Navy officials. From there we brought the cargo to Pier 13 where the BRP Tarlac, a lead ship of the Philippine Navy, was docked. We arrived at 6 p.m. and waited for our cargo to be loaded on the ship. We started loading at 10 p.m. and completed the handover of cargo at 10:40 p.m.

Thank you very much to President Chito Zaldarriaga, PE/PVP Hermie Esguerra and DE/PD Raffy Alunan for the guidance and assistance. ES Anna Kun Toledo, Grace Aquino-Montes and Amiel Hernandez for helping us with our last minute requests. I would also like to thank Mark Millan, General Manager of Herma Shipyard for helping us contact the officers of the BRP Tarlac. We appreciate the staff of Power Steel for being very helpful and patient with the last minute request to work extended hours.

We would like to recognize as well Mr. Gilbert Santa Maria, Philippine Airlines President, for extending his discount in sending the 200 cases of bottled water to Cebu procured at a discounted price through PD Ner Lonzaga. These were immediately distributed by the Rotary Club of Cebu led by President Jacob Ong together with the mats, blankets and slippers. Thank you to PDSAA Ferdie Co and Rtn. Jordan Pizarras, PD Oscar del Rosario and PDG Rudy Bediones for donating additional bottled water, water containers, rice, dry goods and probiotics which were handed over to the Philippine Coast Guard Help Desk at Hotel 101 for shipment to Bohol and Siargao. Kudos to Star Rotarian Ingmar Bertelsen and family for the immediate help extended by distributing rice, dry goods and toys to residents in the outskirts of Surigao City. Thank you as well to DE/Treasurer Jujut Enriquez who facilitated the sending of 2 Bank On Wheels to disaster zones in the Visayas. Finally, to all the Rotary Club of Manila members who donated and funded this worthy cause! Mabuhay kayong lahat!

Rotarians in Action

PE/PVP Hermie Esguerra supervising the loading of the relief packages onto the truck lent by STAR Rotarian Teddy Tee Jr. at the lobby of Hotel 101.

PE/PVP Esguerra together with Rotarians in Action – IAS Mike Albaña, STAR Rotarians Inov Talusan and Xavy Zialcita, Hotel 101 personnel and Philippine Coast Guard personnel.

The arrival of relief cargo at Hotel 101.

RCManila Foundation, Inc. EA Sol Encarnacion and husband Egay assisting in sticking the donor’s label on each package

At the Cargo Deck of Philippine Navy lead ship BRP Tarlac after loading all the donation for shipment to Cebu.

Cargo of blankets, sleeping mats and slippers

8 Solar-powered generators

200 cases of Nature’s Spring Water procured through PD Ner Lonzaga was arranged for shipment via air through PAL Cargo by IAS Mike Albaña.

The donation sent by Rotary Club of Manila through BRP Tarlac was retrieved by President Jacob Ong of Rotary Club of Cebu on 23 December 2021, including the 200 cases of distilled water, which were retrieved from PAL Cargo in the afternoon of the same day. The Rotary Club of Cebu was able to distribute 1,600 kits to 4 coastal barangays in the South yesterday, 2 of each in the municipalities of Argao and Dalaguete. They started at 5:30 a.m. and got home at around 8:30 p.m. Donations of grocery packs from the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Philippine Chinese Charitable Association, Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center, Virginia Foods Inc. and various donors were able to add 2,000 packs of canned goods, sardines and rice.

President Jacob Ong of Rotary Club of Cebu was very thankful to the Rotary Club of Manila for the kindness and generosity it has shown during this calamity.

DE/Treasurer Jujut Enriquez organized the shipping of 2 Bank On Wheels to disaster zones through Philippine Navy’s BRP Tarlac. Star Rotarian Ingmar Bertelsen and family distributed relief goods and toys after a 3-hour drive from Surigao City. Rotarian Jordan Pizarras sent 50 rolls (1 roll good for three 6x6 sqm. tent) of tent materials (waterproof canvass) shipped through a Philippine Navy vessel via Cebu to Bohol.

PDSAA Ferdie Co handed over 150 water containers, 8 luggage of clothing (3000 pcs plus), 156 pairs of slippers and one container machine for hot water. PD Oscar del Rosario facilitated the donation of 3 cavans of 50 kg rice, 350 packs of 5 kg rice, 1,000 pcs. of bottled mineral water (500 ml and small quantity of 350 ml), 600 cans of sardines (small), 720 pcs. Of instant noodle, 54 pcs. of Nescafe coffee 150 grams, 91 pcs. assorted brand new adults and kids clothes, 30 mosquito nets (kulambo) and 49 pcs. First Aid Kits. PDG Rudy Bediones donated 1 box of Probiotics handed over to the Philippine Coast Guard Help Desk at Hotel 101.