Responding to the people’s urgent call for help, the Nagkakaisang Lingkod-Bayan ng Davao Oriental team has delivered goods, services, and cash donation to the earthquake-stricken areas in North Cotabato and Davao del Sur.

No less than Governor Nelson Dayanghirang led the 80-men team composed of personnel from various provincial offices, volunteer doctors, and troops from the Philippine Army during a medical outreach and relief operation held yesterday, November 6.

The team delivered one thousand packs of 4-kilogram rice, more than 300 containers of distilled water, essential medicines, and other food and non-food items to the Incident Command Post of the Municipality of Makilala in North Cotabato and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of the Municipality of Bansalan in Davao del Sur.

The medical team consisting of doctors, nurses, and staff has provided medical services to more than 200 residents in an evacuation center in Bulakanon Elementary School which temporarily houses residents of Barangay Bato in the municipality of Makilala.

Moreover, Governor Dayanghirang formally turned over P200,000 checks to each of the two provinces which were warmly received by the two Provincial Governors in their respective offices.

North Cotabato Acting Governor Emmylou Mendoza, who received the check at the Provincial Capitol in Amas, North Cotabato, thanked Governor Dayanghirang and extended her thanks to the people of Davao Oriental for their support in these trying times.

Davao del Sur Governor Douglas Cagas, on the other hand, also extended his warmest thanks to Davao Oriental’s act of benevolence. “I shall never forget this Governor,” he told Governor Dayanghirang during the latter’s courtesy call at his office.

Governor Dayanghirang said that although his province’s contribution is rather “small” compared to the scale of the devastation, he hopes that it would somehow ease the sufferings of the affected residents who are now in dire need of life-saving interventions.

He added that seeing the outpour of support from other local government units, national agencies, and other organizations streaming to the affected provinces, he also prays for their fast recovery.

“In times of calamities, we as Filipinos never fail to help our fellow countrymen in need. When our province was devastated by Super typhoon Pablo in 2012, other provinces as well as government agencies came to our rescue. And I think that is the true essence of the ‘bayanihan’ spirit,” said Governor Dayanghirang.

The provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur were struck by the recent 6.5 and 6.6 earthquakes which affected thousands of residents across the two provinces and other nearby areas.  By Karen Lou Deloso/Photos by Rhea Shane Laureano