VICE presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte has set aside campaigning for one day to extend compassion and help to the victims of Typhoon Agaton in Baybay, Leyte.

Mayor Sara was accompanied by House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez; Davao Occidental Gov. Claude Bautista of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), who earlier conducted an aerial inspection of the typhoon-hit areas, Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos Cari, Mahaplag Mayor Daisy Lleve, and Abuyog Mayor Lemuel Treya.

The presidential daughter met with the miracle “kid in refrigerator” survivor at the Immaculate Concepcion Hospital here.

Media reports said that 11-year-old CJ Jasme miraculously survived the landslide caused by typhoon Agaton by hiding in a refrigerator for almost a day. CJ’s parents perished, while he hunkered down inside the appliance for refuge.

Mayor Sara has encouraged CJ to fight no matter what life throws at him, and met with 36 other survivors who are still confined at the provincial hospital.

Local government units in Baybay reported around 170 deaths and 120 missing as of April 17. Search and retrieval operations are still ongoing.

She also visited hundreds of Agaton-displaced residents who are temporarily housed in evacuation facilities in Baybay City, Mahaplag, and Abuyog.

Mayor Sara, who is running under Lakas-CMD and HNP, linked with local government officials to provide emergency food and shelter assistance to “Agaton” victims.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Jester P. Manalastas