KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/11 Dec.) — The city government will conduct another relief mission before Christmas Day for survivors of super typhoon “Yolanda” in the badly devastated town of Santa Fe in Leyte Province.
City Mayor Peter Miguel said Wednesday they are currently preparing additional stocks of food packs, medicine and other relief items that will be delivered to the area by another team of city government personnel and local volunteers.
He said the team, which he would be leaving anew, is targeting to reach Santa Fe town before its 64th foundation anniversary on December 22.
The mayor said the local government is continually accepting relief donations, either in kind or in cash, from the public for the typhoon victims.
Miguel urged those who want to donate to prioritize toys for children and items for “noche buena” and “media noche” as well as “to let the survivors feel the spirit of Christmas despite the tragedy.”
“We will go back there and bring two truckloads of toys and other relief goods so they can celebrate Christmas as well,” the mayor said in the city government’s radio program “Kanami Koronadal.”
The mayor, who is a doctor, led a medical and relief mission in Tacloban City and Santa Fe town in Leyte, a week after the area was devastated by the super typhoon last November 8.
The 28-person team from the city was composed of doctors, nurses, social workers and other volunteers.
Miguel said the team set base for five days in Santa Fe to provide medical services and camp management assistance to typhoon survivors.
“When we arrived in the area, the local government unit was practically not functioning and we had to guide their workers and local residents what to do regarding their situation,” he recalled.
During the medical mission, the team served a total of 1,350 patients, 500 of whom “suffered from traumatic injury such as lacerations, punctured wounds, cuts, abrasions and avulsed wounds,” a report released by the City Information Office said.
Around 300 other residents suffered from upper respiratory tract infection, experienced acute gastroenteritis and 250 others were treated for various diseases, it said.
The team conducted stress debriefing sessions for 16 residents comprising 10 adults and six children.
Miguel said the city government is now working on establishing more significant ties with the municipality of Santa Fe, which was among the areas that were hit hardest by typhoon “Yolanda.”
Santa Fe, which is located in the western part of Leyte province and south of Tacloban City, is a fifth class municipality and has 20 barangays. It has a total population of 17,427 based on the 2010 census.
Miguel earlier signified plans to adopt or forge sisterhood ties with the local government of Santa Fe to further accelerate the city government’s relief and recovery efforts in the area.
The mayor deemed the place “deserves more help it could get from other sources apart from the national government’s ration.”
“By adopting Sta. Fe, it would mean sending out direct help to their people coming from the Koronadaleños,” he added. (MindaNews)
