SM Foundation recently distributed relief packs to internally displaced persons and victims of typhoons “Urduja” and “Vinta” that ravaged parts of Visayas and Mindanao during the holiday season.
With the Department of Social Welfare and Development, officers of the Foundation and SM Cagayan de Oro visited Lanao del Norte, Iligan City and the evacuation centers in Marawi City to distribute goods.
The displaced in Marawi, which suffered in the five-month siege led by terrorists, are temporarily housed in tent cities and other evacuation centers.
SM Store donated blankets and mosquito nets worth P1 million to keep them warm during the cold nights and protect them from mosquito bites, targeting 2,500 families. SM Cares’ 600 teddy bears were also distributed to the delight of the children.
In Tubod, Lanao del Norte, SM Foundation’s Operation: Tulong Express or OPTE made sure families affected by Vinta in barangays Pigcarangan and Taguiguiron had food as they welcomed the new year.
In partnership with the provincial government of Lanao del Norte led by Governor Imelda “Angging” Quibranza-Dimaporo and the Provincial Social Welfare Office led by Anabel Mendez, relief goods were distributed to 1,766 families. SM SaveMore participated in the preparation and distribution of the relief packs.
OPTE volunteers were also in Biliran to distribute relief goods to 2,000 families displaced by Urduja. Team SM Ormoc, in partnership with DSWD distributed the relief goods to five hard-to-reach barangays, with roads blocked by mud and boulders, in Naval, Biliran”•Catmon (500 families), Anislagan (250), Haguikhikan (450), Libtong (350), and Villaconsuelo (450).
In Davao City, OPTE distributed relief goods to 1,500 families affected by typhoon Vinta in evacuation centers: in Maa Elementary school (768 families), and in two Poblacion district evacuation centers: Riverside, Bolton Extension, Brgy 8-A and Riverside, Magallanes, Brgy 2-A (732 families).
SM Davao, SM Lanang and Savemore volunteers and the local government of Davao City facilitated the relief distribution.
Meanwhile, in Cagayan de Oro City, the SM CDO family”•SM Supermalls, SaveMore and SM volunteers “• joined hands to distribute 1,000 Kalinga packs to Vinta-affected families in the evacuation centers of West City Central School (574 families), Macasandig Barangay Hall (389) and agency affected personnel, despite the holiday rush.
