The Oplan Tabang team, composed of 43 persons, started the long journey to Batangas to personally deliver the relief assistance from Davao City.
The team – composed of the City Mayor’s Office, City Information Office, Central 911, Public Safety and Security Command Center, Davao City Police Office, and Task Force Davao–traveled by land yesterday.
Col. Consolito Yecla, the commander of Task Force Davao, said the mission of Oplan Tabang is to receive, repack, and distribute relief goods from the people of Davao City to the victims of Taal volcanic eruption.
The team is expected to arrive in the afternoon on Jan. 17.
He said they utilized nine civilian vehicles to transport 8,000 food packs intended for volcanic eruption victims in Calaca, Tanauan, and Santo Tomas in Batangas.
The Davao City government sent food packs, 1,800 pieces of blankets; 400 pieces of bed mats; 140 pieces of towels; 40 pieces of mosquito nets; 105 sacks of assorted used clothes; 800 pieces of school bags with school supplies; 9,200 cans of ready-to-eat meals; four cartoons of assorted medicines; 1,412 pieces of toothbrush; 1,000 pieces of bath soaps; and 792 pieces of shampoo.
“Oplan Tabang is not merely a relief operation, but giving services to the people at the right time and place to those who needed it most,” he said.
“We understand that this will take a lot of sacrifice as it will take at least a week to accomplish our mission. However, take it as a motivation and proper mindset to think that we are not just delivering foodpacks and non-food items but we are also sending a message to all Taal eruption victims that we will be there to give them hope,” Yecla added.
