UniTeam aids ‘Agaton’ victims in Visayas, Mindanao
PRESIDENTIAL frontrunner Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. activated the UniTeam’s relief operations team to immediately bring help to the victims of typhoon Agaton in the Visayas and Mindanao that already affected some 38, 399 families from 106 different barangays in Region 10, 11, Caraga and BARMM in Muslim Mindanao.
This developed as the UniTeam’s legal team said it is now readying necessary documents to secure exemption before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make sure that the relief mission is compliant with the provisions of the Omnibus Election law.
Flooding and heavy rainfall brought about by Tropical Storm Agaton in the Visayas and Mindanao resulted in one reported death so far in the Davao region.
One person has also been reported missing in Region 11.
Marcos said that as much as he wanted to immediately send relief goods to the affected areas, he was constrained by the existing election laws that prohibit those running for public office to hand over any forms of help lest they be accused of vote buying.
“Humihingi po ako ng pasensya sa ating mga kababayan dahil hindi kami agad makapagpadala ng mga tulong bagamat nakahanda naman tayo, kaya lang ay tali ang ating kamay dahil nga sa mga batas na may kaugnayan sa halalan,” Marcos said.
“Pero huwag kayong mag-alala, sisiguruhin namin na darating kami agad para magpa-abot ng tulong sa lahat ng mga apektado nating mga kababayan,” he added.
Flooding has also so far displaced 23,841 families with 3,228 families or 11,264 persons now staying at 52 evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, Marcos appealed to his supporters in the affected areas to momentarily veer away from campaigning and instead shift to distribution of relief goods to affected families.
“Isantabi muna natin ang pulitika, unahin natin ang pangangailangan ng mga tao na naapektuhan ng kalamidad,” Marcos said in a statement as he also called his supporters to donate to the typhoon victims.
Marcos was in Samar and Leyte last April 8 to 9 where he conducted hugely successful campaign sorties before the provinces were hit by the typhoon. With Blessie Amor Vicente and Joanne Rosario (OJTs)
