LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The management of SM City Baguio turned over to concerned local governments and religious groups some 1,000 relief packs which will be subsequently given to victims of the recent onslaught of Tropical Storm Lando in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
Karren Nobres, senior public relations manager of SM City Baguio, said 500 relief packs were turned over to Gov. Nestor B. Fongwan while 150 relief packs were given to Tuba Mayor Florencio Bentres, La Trinidad Mayor Edna C. Tabanda and the Our Lady of Lourdes chapel in Asin, Nangalisan and 50 packs were received by the Kindasan Lion’s Club which will be distributed during its outreach program Saturday.
“SM management wants to reach out to as many villages that were affected by the wrath of Tropical Storm Lando, especially the surrounding communities of Baguio City,” Nobres stressed.
She said the relief packs that were turned over to the concerned local governments will be distributed to the validated calamity victims by the provincial and social welfare and development officers while the goods given to the religious group will be given out to calamity victims within their area, especially the remote sitios around it.
Gov. Fongwan expressed the province’s gratitude to SM management for its uncompromising gesture of reaching out to calamity-stricken areas outside Baguio City, saying that the relief packs would be of great help in addressing the basic needs of the victims while recovering from their dilemma.
For his part, Bentres disclosed the relief packs will be given out to the calamity victims based on the validated list of the municipal social welfare and development office as he expressed the gratitude of the town’s officialdom to SM for being a good Samaritan at the time that people need assistance.
Mayor Tabanda claimed the local government welcomes any kind of assistance that will be extended by any individual or group to the calamity victims of the municipality during the onslaught of the weather disturbance, saying that SM management is just one of those that continues to pour in the support for calamity victims within Baguio and Benguet.
Earlier, SM City Baguio distributed some 1,500 relief packs to identified calamity-stricken families in barangays Lourdes Subdivision Extension, City Camp Central, Lower Rock Quarry, Middle Rock Quarry, MRR Queen of Peace, Kias and Irisan as part of its commitment to the upliftment of the status of those who were victims of the onslaught of the typhoon and to sustain its corporate social responsibility to the people that patronize the mall.