According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, twelve volunteers from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) spent New Year's Day in Typhoon Odette-affected Cebu, continuing to clear debris and provide clean drinking water to people.
According to a statement posted on Sunday by Aksyon Demokratiko, which is running Manila Mayor Isko Moreno in the 2022 presidential campaign, six of the 12 MDRRMO volunteers were already in the province before Christmas Day.
12 Manila rescuers spent New Year's Day during the 'Odette' disaster in Cebu. (Photo / Retrieved from the Pixabay)
Moreno had previously commended Manila City Hall staff and volunteers for their assistance in relief efforts and clean-up operations in typhoon-ravaged areas.
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After the hurricane hit, the mayor went to Cebu City to see the devastation the province had experienced. Aside from the pharmaceutical and vitamin boxes, Moreno also gave Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama monetary aid of P2 million.
Moreno then sent a 16-man MDRRMO team to assist with clearing efforts and deliver drinking water via two water purification units.
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The majority of the MDRRMO squad are volunteer firefighters who brought their own fire engine and used it to distribute water for bathing and laundry.
The Manila City Council had previously set aside P2.5 million in aid, with P1 million going to Cebu and P500,000 each to Bohol, Leyte, and Surigao del Norte.
Moreno also started the "Tulong ng Manilenyo sa mga Nasalanta ni Odette" fundraising drive, urging Manila people and businesses to support villages in the southern and central Philippines affected by the super typhoon.
As of Friday, 405 people had died as a result of Typhoon Odette, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). Meanwhile, 82 people are still missing, while 1,147 people have been injured.
According to the NDRRMC, the typhoon displaced 500,626 people and affected 1.1 million families or 4.4 million individuals in 6,526 localities. The typhoon also caused P28 million in housing damage and P16 billion in infrastructure damage.
86,264 hectares of farmland, 1.2 million animals and poultry, and 5,187 agriculture infrastructure equipment were also damaged by "Odette," costing a total of P6.6 billion.
