BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
Two thousand residents from Silay and Victorias in Negros Occidental, who were affected by severe floods last month, received food assistance from the office of Senator Grace Poe recently.
The relief operation was led by the Panday Bayanihan group, who distributed food packs that contained rice, noodles, canned goods, and coffee in barangays 6A, 13 and 19A in Victorias, and Mambulac and Rizal in Silay.
“We know that it’s not enough, but at least they will feel that I am here in times they need help and comfort,” Poe in a statement said.
The recipients lauded the efforts of Poe, whose mother, actress Susan Roces is from Bacolod, saying that her kindness has inspired them to start rebuilding their lives.
Panday Bayanihan is a non-government organization led by Poe’s son and chief of staff, Brian Poe Llamanzares, who usually initiates operations to help families in need, especially those affected by natural and man-made calamities, across the country.
“It’s very sad that they were hit by flood not just once, but twice. They have yet to recover from the first flood, they were again flooded in a span of less than 10 days,” Poe said.
She thanked supporters of Panday Bayanihan, named after the fictional hero of the underdog masses, and portrayed and popularized by her late father, Fernando Poe Jr., in the “Ang Panday” movie series. “What is notable among Filipinos is the culture of “bayanihan” and the spirit of volunteerism where we immediately help those who in need even though we don’t know them personally,” she added.*
