A Davao City-based enterprise combined forces with an altruistic South Korean company doing business in the region and a private foundation to extend relief assistance to thousands of victims in three municipalities of Davao del Sur and one in North Cotabato ravaged by a series of Magnitude 6-plus earthquakes and hundreds of continuing aftershocks since late October.
The three entities are EN3 Nanomedics Co., Ltd., JROG Marketing and the Ronie-Joelita Osnan Foundation. They distributed a total of 7,500 food packs and numerous rolls of canvas for tent to as many families in the towns of Magsaysay, Matanao, and Padada in Davao del Sur, and Makilala in North Cotabato last January 4. Magsaysay, Matanao and Padada families received 2,000 packs each, while Makilala families got 1,500 packs.
The group transported the relief assistance in 5 private cars and four dump trucks, said broadcaster Delfin Sulamin, who covered the one-day activity. Sulamin said the group also touched base with the mayors of the affected towns –Arthur Davin of Magsaysay, Vincent Fernandez of Matanao, and Pedro Caminero Jr. of Padada, as well as Rep. Rudy Caoagdan of North Cotabato. Congressman Caoagdan resides in Makilala, where he was municipal mayor before being elected to the House of Representatives.
The humanitarian mission was joined by no less than Brig. Gen. Filmore Escobal, newly-appointed regional director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) of Davao Region, and Assistant Sec. Achilles Gerard “Ike” C. Bravo of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), who are close friends of businessman Osnan. Also active in the group’s activity was Atty. Roceles Brown, legal counsel and associate of the Osnans and an unidentified medical practitioner interested in the health needs of the quake-affected areas, especially the evacuation centers.
According to Osnan, there will be a second distribution of relief assistance as soon as the packing of thousands of additional relief goods in Davao City is finished.
He said he has also been requested by EN3 Nanomedics Co., Ltd. CEO Youngyong Ahn to inquire which of the affected towns would need fire trucks and ambulance units that the foreign company is planning to donate through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Osnan said the devastation suffered by the four towns is not a joke since thousands of residents are still living in tents and are advised not to construct homes in their earthquake prone barangays.
“The local officials of most affected towns like Magsaysay are themselves holding office in tents or temporary shelters,” the entrepreneur bared.
