With a heart that promotes sincere accountability to our fellow countrymen, the Pilipinas Shell Foundation Incorporated (PSFI) and Malampaya Foundation Incorporated (MFI) are extending their support to families in Batangas who were affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano.
Marvi Trudeau, the PSFI deputy executive director who was still in Batangas during an interview Thursday, said she was so encouraged seeing a lot of people helping those displaced families.
“Natutuwa ako kanina noong papunta kami dito, ang daming mga convoy ng mga relief goods na nakikita kami sa highway. It is so heartening to find out na ang dami-dami talagang nagmamalasakit. I think this is a very good value of the Filipinos kasi hindi tayo pabaya,” said Trudeau.
“I think this was an obligation on our part na talagang to be a good neighbor,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau said this was just the second round of their relief operations, which was first conducted last Friday that benefitted around 4,000 evacuees.
Trudeau said around 575 displaced families from different barangays became the recipient of their team’s second reach-out activity on January 23, Thursday, of whom 179 are from Barangay San Isidro; 167 are from Libjo; 92 from Ambulong; 70 from Malitam, and 67 from Tabangao.
She said families received from PSFI toiletries, food packs, sleeping materials, and hygiene kits.
“Dahil sunud-sunod pa rin ang dami-daming nagpapadala sa mga Shell retail stations at ‘yong mga may-ari ng Shell ay nagbibigay din, nag-decide kami na gumawa ng second round. [Ito] ‘yong second round namin, hindi na namin pinuntahan ‘yong provincial sports complex [na] nandoon kami noong Biyernes. Pinuntahan namin [ngayon] ‘yong mga evacuation centers sa limang barangays dito sa malapit sa Batangas City,” said Trudeau.
“From the start ang binibigay kasi namin sa sleeping materials may mats, may pillows, may linen, kumot. Doon sa food packs may canned goods, may noodles, may konting bigas… may hygiene set din shampoo, soap, laundry soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, underwear, sanitary napkin, diapers, mosquito repellant lotion, face towel, bath towel and the like. Tapos binigyan din namin ng mga cleaning materials,” added Trudeau.
On the other hand, MPI was the one in-charge to feed the families during the activity.
Trudeau also encouraged the public to extend their help to the affected and displaced families.
She said stations of Shell are still accepting relief goods for the victims, including their Shell shelter sites that serve as “relief centers and donation hubs”.
“Meron [din] po kaming ipinalabas na Project Shelter na kung saan sila puwedeng makapag-donate kung gusto nilang mag-donate in cash. So we will still continue to help kasi hindi pa naman tapos. Marami pang evacuees, dumadami ‘yong mga evacuees. I am sure hindi ito kaya ng isang organization and I am so sure hindi ito kaya ng gobyerno [lang],” said Trudeau.