PCSO mounts relief drives in flood-hit Valenzuela, Navotas

MANILA: Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Mel Robles on Thursday led the relief drive for flood victims in the cities of Valenzuela and Navotas. In a statement, Robles reiterated his earlier instructions to all PCSO branch offices and small-town lottery authorized agency corporations (STL-ACCs) to carry out relief drives in their respective areas. The move complies with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to ensure prompt assistance to families affected by bad weather due to Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon. "Our branch offices with STL-ACCs are simultaneously conducting relief drives nationwide,' Robles said. He led the distribution of relief goods placed inside plastic water pails called 'charitimba' in the two cities, which were among the areas severely affected by massive floods. Robles handed over 500 charitimba to Valenzuela Mayor Wesley Gatchalian at the Valenzuela Alert Center while 500 charitimba packs were received by Jennifer Serrano, the repr esentative of Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco. The PCSO official also handed over 150 pails to chairperson Florida Casaje of Barangay Damayan in Frisco, Quezon City. The relief distribution was earlier set on Wednesday but was deferred due to floods that rendered roads in these cities impassable. Responding to Robles' call was the PCSO branch in Rizal, which, in partnership with Nineteen Aces Gaming and Amusement Corp STL-ACC, provided hot meals and groceries to more than 75 families at the evacuation site in the Manuel Santos Integrated School in Barangay San Juan, Taytay, Rizal. The PCSO STL-ACC Greatminds Games and Amusement Corp., with Muntinlupa Vice Mayor Artemio Simundac, also mounted relief operations in the city's Barangay Bayanan while the PCSO La Union Branch, with STL-ACC First La Union Leisure, distributed relief goods to 150 affected families in the towns of Bauang, Naguilian, and Caba in La Union. Meanwhile, the Pines Estate and Gaming Corp. in Benguet and Baguio STL-ACC donated 25 sacks of ric e to affected families in the area. The National Capital Region has been under a state of calamity since Wednesday Source: Philippines News agency