FORMER Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte under BBM-Sara UniTeam Alliance in partnership with its allies including the Tingog Party-list tapped their network of volunteers to distribute relief goods to those affected by the onslaught of Super Typhoon Odette in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“We have to come together and help our people in the face of devastation left by Typhoon Odette,” House Majority Leader and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).

He said the BBM-Sara UniTeam in coordination with Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Romualdez is preparing relief goods at the Community Center in Tacloban City initially for distribution to Southern Leyte.

According to the reports of Favorite Music Radio (FMR) station, Romualdez said the BBM-Sara and Tingog Party-list group have so far prepared 2,500 pieces of packed goods, 1,500 hygiene kits, and 400 1.5 ml bottles of mineral water.

“Ready na ‘yung mga relief goods na ipamimigay namin, mayroon tayong bigas, grocery packs para sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo, nakaalerto na ang mga volunteers ng BBM-Sara UniTeam na magsitungo at ipamahagi ang mga tulong na ito,” said the UniTeam.

The UniTeam volunteer network has also prepositioned some relief goods in critical areas to facilitate its distribution.

“Naka-monitor ang aming opisina sa bagyong Odette at tinitignan natin kung ano pa ang mga kakailanganing tulong ng mga nasalanta. Sa kasalukuyan ay nakikipag-ugnayan na rin tayo sa mga lokal na pamahalaan para agad na maihatid ang mga tulong na ito” they added.

The UniTeam has prepared 6,000 relief packs for the Samar Province, 6,000 for Leyte Province, 2,000 for Tacloban, and 6,000 for Masbate. Volunteers are still busy preparing several batches of relief goods for distribution to other areas requiring aid.

Bongbong and Sara also appealed to fellow Filipinos to continue praying for the safety of those displaced or affected by the Super Typhoon.

“Nakakalungkot dahil ilang araw na lamang ay pasko na at nagkaroon pa ng bagyo. Ganun pa man patuloy lang tayong manalangin sa kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan lalo na dun sa mga naapektuhan ng bagyo,” said the UniTeam.

The BBM-Sara UniTeam also encouraged those along the typhoon’s path to follow the government’s emergency bulletins to stay safe and away from the dangers posed by Typhoon Odette.

“Para sa ating mga kababayan na apektado ng bagyo, sumunod po tayo sa gusto ng pamahalaan, kung kinakailangan lumikas, eh gawin na po natin para po tayo ay makaiwas sa anumang kapahamakan,” said BBM-Sara UniTeam.

PAGASA last spotted Typhoon Odette’s center over the coastal waters of P. Garcia in Bohol at 7:00 pm. It made its sixth landfall at Bien Unido, also in Bohol.

Odette was moving with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph with gustiness of up to 255 kph and moving westward at 30 kph.

Romualdez is the campaign manager of vice presidential candidate and Lakas-CMD Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte under the UniTeam Alliance with Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (HNP), Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).

The House of Representatives designated Romualdez as caretaker of Southern Leyte following the appointment of former Rep. Roger Mercado as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).