Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. visited Zamboanga City Thursday and extended relief assistance to families affected by the onslaught of severe Typhoon Paeng last Oct. 28. Upon arrival, Sen. Revilla went straight to City Hall where he met with Mayor John Dalipe and Vice Mayor Josephine Pareja and was briefed by department heads concerned with the city’s relief operations.
During the briefing, City Social Welfare and Development Officer Ma. Socorro Roxas told the senator that as of late there are 793 families still housed in 12 operational evacuation centers, three of which are in public schools.
Sen. Revilla said he was supposed to come here immediately after Paeng hit the city, but he had to delay his trip after learning that even his own Province (Cavite) was also badly hit by Paeng.
“Nung tumama ang bagyong Paeng, papunta na po sana kami dito para mag hatid ng tulong. Kaya lang, kahit ang Cavite ay tinamaan din,” Revilla said. “So, inayos ko muna ang aking lalawigan… then now I’m here a bit late.” he added. “Malaki po utang na lood ko sa mga taga Mindanao. Never po ako napabayaan ng Mindanao, sa ating mga kapatid na Muslim at Kristiano. Ever since, yung supporta nila sa akin ay talagang nan’dyan,” he said at the briefing in City Hall.
After the briefing, Revilla together with Mayor Dalipe, Vice Mayor Pareja and the DSWD-9 staff led by Regional Director Riduan Hadjimuddin proceeded to the evacuation centers in Tumaga and Sta. Maria, where he personally handed over relief assistance to the evacuees through the CSWDO and DSWD-9.
Sen. Revilla, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Works, also went to inspect the flood-damaged infrastructure projects in some barangays. (Vic Larato, photo courtesy by Eugene Elnar)
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page)