Philippine gaming regulator PAGCOR said Monday it has allocated Php32.85 million (US$4.1 million) in assistance to families affected by Typhoon Tino and Super Typhoon Uwan, which left widespread devastation in various parts of the country in recent weeks.
The funding has been used to procure 31,500 relief packs containing food and non-food essentials for distribution to hard-hit provinces, according to comments by PAGCOR Chairman and CEO, Alejandro Tengco.
“Following the onslaught of Typhoon Tino in early November, we already turned over 15,000 relief packs worth Php14.78 million (US$1.8 million) to the Office of Civil Defense in Regions 6 and 7 to help affected communities in those regions,” Tengco said.
The agency added that another batch of 16,500 relief packs worth Php18.07 million (US$2.3 million) are currently being dispatched to communities impacted by Super Typhoon Uwan in Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Aurora, Batangas, Bulacan and Negros Occidental. The Senate of the Philippines also received relief packs from the latter batch for its outreach initiative.
Each relief pack contains rice, bottled water, canned goods and coffee, along with non-food necessities such as blankets, mosquito nets, and toiletries.
“In times of calamities, PAGCOR will always be ready to step in and extend support to our fellow Filipinos,” Tengco said. “Part of our nation-building mission is to help our kababayans rebuild their lives.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had earlier placed the entire country under a state of national calamity after the subsequent typhoons claimed hundreds of lives and affected over 2.5 million families nationwide in less than two weeks.
In addition to the relief drive, PAGCOR donated 2,000 computer tablets worth Php17.54 million to cities in the Visayas that host its Casino Filipino branches to support learners in the wake of recent disasters.
Of the total, 1,000 tablets will go to the Cebu City government, while Iloilo and Bacolod will each receive 500 units for distribution to public schools.
“Through this donation, we hope to help learners continue their studies despite the challenges brought by the recent calamities,” Tengco added. “Education is key to building a better future and PAGCOR will always be a partner in making that possible.”
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