Clark relief efforts reach Bulacan, CL provinces

CLARK FREEPORT – Officials inside the Clark Freeport are now eyeing Bulacan and other provinces in Region 3 after the successful conduct of relief operations in three Pampanga towns that suffered the brunt of Typhoon Ondoy.
Last Wednesday, the “Clark Outreach Program for Ondoy Victims” team members proceeded to the towns of Arayat, Candaba, and Lubao to distribute more than 2,500 packs of various relief goods to typhoon victims there.
Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Benigno N. Ricafort said the success of the relief operations is boosted by the pouring of more cash and relief donations from members of the Clark Freeport community and other benefactors.
“The overwhelming support being extended by our benefactors encouraged us to reach out further to other victims of Typhoon Ondoy in Bulacan and other provinces in the Central Luzon region,” Ricafort said, adding that volunteers are working around the clock repacking relief goods at the Clark Expo here.
Ricafort said members of the Clark Investors and Locators Association, 600th Air Base Wing of the Philippine Air Force, and the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) have raised more than P1 million in cash and relief goods to help victims of Typhoon Ondoy in Pampanga.
He said the CDC-initiated relief operations dubbed “Clark Outreach Program for Ondoy Victims” stemmed from a meeting with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Cabinet Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan and Central Luzon Police Director Leonilo Dela Cruz held at the White House here last Sept. 27.
He also said the CDC and CIAC have each donated P250,000 while Cyber City Teleservices, Paradise Ranch, Aritake Estates, Widus International have each donated P100,000 for the typhoon victims.
Also, Peregrine Development International President Dennis Wright said his company will shell out P500,000. He added that Peregrine will also provide 20 volunteers and heavy equipment like bulldozers and dump trucks to help clear areas that have sustained damages.
Ricafort said Smart Shirts, another top locator in Clark, has pledged P100,000-worth of export-quality clothes that were manufactured inside the Clark Freeport.
“This would not have been smoothly implemented without the enduring commitment and hard work of volunteers from CDC, CILA, CIAC, PAF, LGUs and the PNP and the clear direction from the management of CDC who took the lead in organizing the group,” Ricafort said.
Ricafort said CILA has been tasked to be the secretariat of the Clark Outreach program. Donations in cash or in kind could be coursed through Justice Dalida of CILA at telephone numbers (045) 599-3442; (045) 599-7522; +63918-930-3694; or clarkinvestors@gmail.com.
Other Clark firms that have given cash donations are BAC, Aderans Phils., Inc., Nanox Phils., Sumidenso, Pacific Carpets, Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc., and CILA Executive Vice President Darwin Malinit.