FORT BONIFACIO, Taguig City – Hundreds of family members of military personnel joined the efforts in distributing relief goods to flood-stricken communities.

Mrs Cecile Lopez, the president of the Philippine Army Officers Ladies Club said that they initiated the collection effort using text brigade by contacting their friends and loved ones who are related to the soldiers.

They were able to collect relief items including food stuff, clothes, medicines and other important items. As of yesterday, they were able to deliver the first batch of over 500 relief goods to the flood victims in Baseco Compund in Tondo Manila.

Mr Paolo Bautista, the son of the Army Chief Lt Gen Emmanuel Bautista led the distribution of relief goods to the delight of the beneficiaries.

Today, the group has continued its effort of collecting more bags of relief goods intended for the beneficiaries in Santa Ana, San Mateo, Rizal, in coordination with the Army’s 16th Infantry Battalion led by Lt Col Norwyn Romeo Tolentino.

According to Mrs Helen Samarita, Vice President of the Army Ladies Club, they will keep repacking relief goods as they pour in inside their collection point here.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army has sent an estimate of 23 6x6 trucks in Metro Manila to help various NGOs deliver relief goods within the metropolis and even in nearby provinces of Bulacan and Laguna.

The Search and Rescue Unit of the Army also reported that in Metro Manila alone, they were able to rescue roughly 565 flood victims mostly stranded in their roofs while the Army Engineering Brigade has rescued around a thousand victims.

The Army is also continuously receiving donated goods from various institutions and individuals which were also distributed by the Civil Military Operations Group starting Tuesday, August 7.